When it comes to what Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin refers to as the “weighty moments”—particularly when the team faces crucial third-and-1 or fourth-and-1 situations—the Steelers have been consistently coming up short this season. These are critical plays that often determine the flow of the game, and so far, the Steelers have struggled to capitalize in these pivotal moments.
After failing to convert in several short-yardage situations, the Steelers are acknowledging their shortcomings and focusing on improving this aspect of their game. “We’ve been focusing a lot on that,” said running back Jaylen Warren. “We have a plan for that, and we’re excited to get to work.” There is a clear recognition within the team that their performance in these situations must improve if they hope to succeed in the long term.
While the Steelers lead the NFL in third-down attempts, averaging 14.3 per game, their conversion rate tells a different story. They rank just 15th in the league, with a conversion rate of 38.9%. This number has dipped in recent weeks, particularly after a poor 4-for-16 showing (25%) in their game against the Baltimore Ravens. This was sandwiched between games where the Steelers converted 7 of 16 attempts against the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Browns. On third-and-1, the Steelers have managed a 57.9% success rate (11 of 19), and on third-and-2, they’re at 57.1% (8 of 14).
When it comes to fourth-down conversions, the Steelers are faring a bit better, but still rank in the lower half of the league, tied for 21st with a 50% conversion rate. For comparison, the Ravens are sixth in the league with a 70% success rate, while the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are tied for 10th at 64.3%. The Steelers have been more successful on fourth-and-1, converting six out of 10 attempts, but they’ve only converted one out of two on fourth-and-2 situations.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith pointed out that penalties have been a contributing factor to these failures, along with issues with execution at the line of scrimmage—even when the Steelers have the numerical advantage in blockers versus defenders. “We’ve got to be better there. That’s the reality on the ground,” Smith admitted. “We’ve got to have better answers. It’s pro football. That ball is snapped and sometimes it’s one-on-one. They get paid too. The things you’ve got to do as a coach, you put on you. ‘Alright, I’ve got to coach it better or we’ve got to do this.’ But there’s a point where you’ve got to ‘bow up.’ It becomes one-on-one football, like an old-school Oklahoma drill. That’s the reality of it.”
In addition to execution issues, Coach Tomlin highlighted that the coaching staff shares some of the responsibility for the team’s struggles in these critical moments. Specifically, he mentioned the need to better adapt to the NFL’s technological advancements, such as the Replay Assistance Rule, which allows replay officials to assist on-field crews in making calls based on “clear and obvious video evidence.” Tomlin admitted that the Steelers have made decisions at full speed without the benefit of this replay assistance, which has resulted in missed opportunities and miscalculations in recent games. “Sometimes we make decisions at speed and in a spot of the ball might be different or circumstance might be different based on replay assist,” Tomlin said. “I think that’s happened two or three times in the last two or three weeks. That’s been a component of performance for us.”
The Steelers’ short-yardage woes have been especially evident in their recent games. Against Baltimore, they faced a fourth-and-1 at their own 29-yard line, but wide receiver Ben Skowronek was penalized for a false start, pushing the Steelers back 5 yards and forcing them to punt. Against Cleveland, another penalty came into play on a third-and-1 from the Steelers’ own 44-yard line, when tight end Darnell Washington was called for a false start. Despite the setback, the Steelers managed to convert the following third-and-6 when quarterback Russell Wilson connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 22-yard gain that moved the chains.
The Steelers also faced back-to-back failed conversions in the first quarter against Baltimore. Wilson was stuffed on a third-and-1 quarterback sneak, and running back Najee Harris was stopped short on a fourth-and-1. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers had another crucial opportunity, but Wilson threw an interception on a third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. Despite these setbacks, Harris came through in the clutch with a critical third-and-1 conversion from the Steelers’ 39-yard line with just 57 seconds remaining, helping secure a narrow 18-16 victory for Pittsburgh.
In their game against Cleveland, the Steelers struggled again on short-yardage plays. On a third-and-3 at the Browns’ 32-yard line, Wilson was sacked for an 8-yard loss by Myles Garrett, and Chris Boswell missed a 58-yard field goal attempt shortly after. In the third quarter, Jaylen Warren was stopped on a fourth-and-1 from the Steelers’ own 46-yard line. Later, when Harris couldn’t gain a yard on a third-and-1 at the Browns’ 22-yard line, Wilson made a crucial 9-yard pass to Freiermuth, keeping the drive alive.
Where Offensive Coordinator Smith credited Cleveland’s strong defensive front for shutting down the Steelers’ short-yardage attempts, Wilson pointed to the team’s need to take responsibility for these failures and correct their issues moving forward. “I don’t want to say too much, in terms of scheme and thoughts, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to convert it,” Wilson said. “Maybe it’s breaking a tackle or finding a way to make it work, especially on third-and-1s and fourth-and-1s. It’s all of us together. We know we’re capable of that. It’s tough to look at one week or two weeks and judge based on that. We’ve got to focus on the next opportunity and make sure we execute when it counts.”
The Steelers clearly recognize the importance of fixing their short-yardage struggles. While the team has shown flashes of potential, these crucial moments in the game—whether it’s a third-and-1 or a fourth-and-1—could be the difference between success and failure. Moving forward, the Steelers will need to improve their execution in these high-pressure situations if they hope to remain competitive and secure more victories in their quest for a playoff spot.