5 things we learned: Steelers offense finally avoids 3-and-outs, drove often into enemy territory

CINCINNATI – Five things we learned from Steelers 16, Bengals 10:

1. Free-and-out

A quick review of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ drive chart from Sunday’s win reveals the (relative) absence of what had been one ubiquitous digit: 3.

As in, a “3” under the category of “# plays” in the “Ball possession and drive chart” for the Steelers on the NFL’s official statbook for the game in Cincinnati. Yes, a “3” exists for the last drive, but that one doesn’t count because those three plays were kneel-downs to seal the Steelers’ win. That there were no other 3s in that column is telling.

For the first time this season, not once did the Steelers offense have a drive limited to three plays and a subsequent punt. The most recent time the Steelers avoided the dreaded “three-and-out” was the penultimate game of last season, when, against the Baltimore Ravens, the worst the Steelers did was go “five and out” twice (with one first down each time).

Fans surely will make the connection that this being the first game without fired coordinator Matt Canada is not a coincidence, and it’s difficult to ignore the correlation.

2. Enemy territory

Tied into the lack of “three plays and a punt” is that the Steelers regularly drove into Bengals territory Sunday. Each of the Steelers’ nine meaningful possessions (not counting the kneel-downs) began on their own side of the field. Eight of them made it onto the Cincinnati side of the field. That’s 89% of their drives, compared to the 46% of such drives that did so during the Steelers’ first 10 games.

The eight trips past midfield was the most for the Steelers offense during a game in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.

The next step? Converting those opportunities into points. Scoring just 16 in eight such possessions is not efficient enough.

3. A drive like John Daly’s

The Steelers had the ball only once during the third quarter. But they sure made it count.

Not only did it produce almost half the Steelers’ points, the possession lasted 7 minutes, 50 seconds while spanning 14 plays. That made it the longest touchdown drive directed by Kenny Pickett as measured by either plays or possession time. The Steelers did, though, have a 15-play field goal drive during the Nov. 2 win against the Tennessee Titans that lasted 8:17.

But in regards to possessions that end with a touchdown, the only Steelers drive since 2020 that lasted longer by either time or plays run than Sunday’s third-quarter drive against the Bengals was directed by Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky was at quarterback for a 21-play touchdown drive that lasted 11:43 during a Dec. 18, 2022, win at the Carolina Panthers.

4. Snap decisions

Among Mike Tomlin’s favorite phrases is “division of labor,” and plenty about the Steelers’ evolving division of labor on defense can gleaned by a look at the snap counts from Sunday’s game.

Trenton Thompson’s interception surely helped his case to have a future significant role in the secondary. But even at present — with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal out with injury — Thompson quickly has become a mainstay on defense. Thompson was on the field for all but one of the Steelers’ 43 defensive snaps against the Bengals. That’s more than even veteran Patrick Peterson (41 snaps).

For the second consecutive game after having never done it before over eight NFL seasons, Elandon Roberts played every defensive snap Sunday. The only other inside linebacker to play, just like in Cleveland the week before, was Mykal Walker (77% of the snaps). That meant Mark Robinson continues to get shut out of a role on defense.

Another player from last year’s draft class whose career seems to be regressing is defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal. A starter for four games early this season, Leal played a career-low three snaps in Cincinnati. He has played just 12 total snaps the past three games.

The quirk of the week: By way of being on the field for the first Bengals’ snap from scrimmage, Miles Killebrew was credited with his first official start over his three-year tenure with the Steelers. But Killebrew, the Steelers’ special-teams captain, did not play a single snap the rest of the game on defense.

5. Standing Pat

It isn’t a “tell” because it’s almost too obvious. But it should come as no surprise that the Steelers’ choice of personnel at tight end correlates with play selection of a run or a pass.

According to Pro Football Focus, when Pat Freiermuth was on the field against the Bengals, the Steelers called a passing play 64% of the time (on 27 of 42 snaps). When Darnell Washington was on the field Sunday, the Steelers ran the ball 59% of the time.

PFF also notes that Freiermuth’s big day (nine catches, 120 yards) was not the result of lack of effort by the Bengals. Seven different Cincinnati defenders were the closest man in coverage to Freiermuth among the 11 times he was targeted. Freiermuth had a catch against six of them, a first down against five of them and he managed yards after the catch on each of the six he beat for a reception.

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