We have officially reached the bye week, and it is time to look under the hood of this 6-2 team to see what is working and where the wheels might be coming off. To get the full position-by-position breakdown and see how the staff stacked up the performances, click the link to dive into the complete midseason evaluation.
OFFENSE: B-
QB B- Aaron Rodgers has given Pittsburgh veteran leadership and has done enough to help the team get to 6-2, but the overall production has been inconsistent. Through eight games, Rodgers has 1,871 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, with an 86.2 passer rating and a 49.2 QBR. His PFF grade of 65.2 ranks 23rd among 35 qualifying quarterbacks, and the Steelers need more explosive passing plays as the competition gets tougher. Too many changing of plays to pass plays on the goal to go situations on in the red zone But overall not to bad. RB. A+ Jaylen Warren has been Pittsburgh's best offensive player and is having an outstanding season,704 yards (6th) on 119 carries (12th) He is averaging approximately 5.9 yards per carry (1st in the league) and has been particularly effective creating yards after contact and contributing in the passing game. Rico Dowdle gives the Steelers a quality complementary back, but Warren is the engine of this running game. WR C+ This group has produced 1,201 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, but the production is heavily concentrated among a few players. D.K. Metcalf has 378 yards and one touchdown. His drops have become a huge issue Germie Bernard has 284 yards and one touchdown, while Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington have combined for 489 yards and seven touchdowns. Washington's 13.4 yards per catch and Freiermuth's four touchdown receptions have been important, but the Steelers need considerably more production from their outside receivers. The injuries to Michael Pittman Jr and Roman Wilson are a big issue. Pittsburgh needs to add a WR to be serious contenders Oline B The offensive line deserves credit for helping Pittsburgh average 4.9 yards per carry, good for third in the league. Jaylen Warren's success is not happening by accident, and Zach Frazier and the interior offensive line deserve plenty of recognition for creating opportunities in the running game. However, 23 sacks allowed through eight games is a significant concern, and the pass protection needs to improve before this group earns an A. Troy has struggled at times with pass protection this season We almost forget that the Steelers made a change at left guard and tackle Brock Hoffmnan and max Iheanachor have been a much needed upgrade Offense B- steelers are 16th in yards per game at 328 17th in points a game at 22.5 12th in rushing offense 117.9 a game 19th in passing offense 210 a game 25th in red zone TDs 21st in 3rd down conversion per game at 4.9 23rd in sacks allowed All in all, the offense hasn't been bad with limited WR play at times
DEFENSE: B+
Dline- A+ The Steelers have 26 sacks through eight games, the most in the NFL T.J. Watt leading the way with 7.5, Alex Highsmith adding 3.5 and Nick Herbig contributing three. Against the run, Pittsburgh is allowing just 3.6 yards per carry, tied for fifth-best in the league, while Cameron Heyward has added 2.5 sacks and Keeanu Benton continues to dominate inside. The one concern is that Pittsburgh ranks 26th in pressure rate at 32.6%, meaning the sack total is better than the overall ability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. but that comes from playing to much soft zone and not allowing the rush to get there LBs- C Payton Wilson leads the team with 69 tackles, 36 solo 7 TFL 1 sack and 1 INT Patrick Queen has 60 tackles,20 solo 2.5 sacks 3.5 TFLand an interception. Together, they have provided Pittsburgh with 129 tackles, and Wilson has emerged as a major contributor against both the run and pass. This group has been productive, but the Steelers need more consistent coverage and fewer missed tackles Have been better in the last two, but there was a stretch that was a problem DBs- B- Jamel Dean has been a terrific addition, recording 30 tackles, an interception and three forced fumbles through eight games. Jalen Ramsey has contributed 48 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble Daylen Everette has added another interception Asante Samuel Jr. has 28 tackles May have found a gem in Robert Spears- Jennings at FS Need to get a healthy deshon Elliot back Jaquan Brisker has just been ok The takeaway production has been encouraging, but the secondary still needs to prove it can consistently shut down top-tier passing attacks. this group needs to create more turnovers DEFENSE-B+ 4th in Scoring Defense at 18.6 points a game 7th in yards allowed at 305 a game 3rd in rushing defense at 83.9 yards a game 16th in passing yards a game at 221.8 yards a game 7th in opponents 3rd down conversion 34.34% 2nd in red zone defense at .8
Special Teams: C-
Chris Boswell has made 18 of 23 field goals, including 8 of 13 from 40 yards or longer, which is not the standard Steelers fans expect from one of the league's best kickers. Cameron Johnston has averaged 48.2 yards per punt with a 42.7-yard net average and has placed 16 punts inside the 20-yard line. Kaden Wetjen has not been a productive returner, averaging 24 yards on 28 kickoff returns, It's been better in most weeks. But the scheeematics on the return and coverage units have been poor most of the season
Coaching: B+
A 6-2 record, four consecutive victories and a first-place position in the AFC North make this a very good first half for Mike McCarthy and his staff. Patrick Graham's defense deserves tremendous credit, allowing just 18 points per game, ranking third in the NFL, while also leading the league in sacks and ranking third in takeaways with 13. The offense still has room to improve, particularly with its 39-for-103 third-down conversion rate (37.9%), but the coaching staff deserves credit for finding ways to win while the passing offense has been inconsistent.
OVERALL: B
The verdict: Pittsburgh is a legitimate AFC contender, but not yet a complete team. Biggest strength: Defensive front. Biggest surprise: Jaylen Warren and the running game. Biggest disappointment: Passing game. Biggest concern: Can the defense maintain its production against elite quarterbacks? Biggest opportunity: Improve third-down offense and red-zone execution.