The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the NFL’s surprise packages in 2024, but Russell Wilson knows there is still plenty of room for improvement on the offensive side of the ball
Russell Wilson, the quarterback for Pittsburgh Steelers, has urged his team to step up their game on first and second downs as they continue to struggle in 2024.
The Steelers are currently ranked 30th in the NFL on red zone offense, with the worst offense on first down, averaging a mere 4.1 yards per play over the season, and have run the third most third down plays in the NFL.
Despite being drafted into the offense after recovering from a preseason calf injury, replacing Justin Fields, the team is yet to find a solution to its issues. However, despite their struggles, the 8-3 Pittsburgh lead the AFC North and seem set to secure a postseason spot once the regular season concludes.
But Wilson isn’t easing up, recognising the Steelers’ potential. “I think the thing is we just got to stay on schedule first and second down,” Wilson stated.
“We’ve got to make plays and we’ve got to find plays, and I don’t think we’re far off. I definitely don’t think that. I think we played two tough games over the past two weeks and I believe in us. I know how capable we are and I’m looking forward to it.”
The Steelers are gearing up for a challenging divisional clash with the Cincinnati Bengals, who have shown some impressive offensive flair despite their 4-7 record in 2024. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have been on fire, but it’s the Bengals’ defense that has left them vulnerable – something the Steelers are ready to exploit. The key for Pittsburgh is converting their drives into touchdowns.
“I think we study just everything,” Wilson said. “I think we study the things we’ve done well, I think that’s the first thing and do more of it. I think that’s one thing.
“We’ve got to make plays and we’ve got to find plays, and I don’t think we’re far off. I think the second thing is figure out where we’re missing.
“We’ve had a lot of third-and-longs down there it seems like, and so we’ve got to make sure that we’re giving ourselves the best chance to run all of our red zone plays that we practice and do everything that we are prepared to do.”
After facing the Bengals, the Steelers will look to settle scores with their divisional rivals, the Cleveland Browns, before heading into four tough games to round off the regular season. They’ll take on the Philadelphia Eagles, then the Baltimore Ravens, a rematch with the Bengals, and finally, they’ll face the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.