Steelers could use red-zone makeover in 2012

[hawaiiansteel]

Pittsburgh Steelers could use red-zone makeover in '12

By Dan Hanzus
Published: July 8, 2012

The Pittsburgh Steelers have great tools on offense. It's the execution that wasn't always stellar in 2011.

In an NFL season defined by explosive offensive production, the Steelers were merely adequate, averaging 20.3 points per game (21st in the league) and scoring more than 30 points on just three occasions.

This can be explained, at least partly, by struggles in the red zone. As Jamison Hensley at ESPN's AFC North blog points out, Pittsburgh ranked 18th in red-zone efficiency last season. The Steelers recorded 27 touchdowns on 53 red-zone possessions, a 50.9 percent success rate. With talented players like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall, that wasn't nearly good enough.

Improved play from Roethlisberger inside the 20 would help. Last season, the quarterback's completion percentage dropped nearly 15 percentage points once he got inside the 20 (64.7 to 50). Roethlisberger was sacked 22 times in the red zone, second-most in the NFL. The Steelers are counting on a revamped offensive line to help matters in this department.

It's worth noting some oddities in the above statistics as well. The Jets -- 8-8 last season and nobody's example of an offense to envy -- led the league in red-zone efficiency at 65.5 percent. And the man who took the most red-zone sacks in 2011? Aaron Rodgers, who might have produced the greatest season ever for a quarterback.

What does it mean? We're not entirely sure, but perhaps new Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley has a theory of his own. We know he won't be afraid to share it.

[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82a69c91/article/pittsburgh-steelers-could-use-redzone-makeover-in-12[/URL]

[Crash]

Dammit Ben hand off better when you run the ball 65% on first down in the red zone.

[Crash]

And the 22 sacks are from 2008-2011. Not 2011.

The NFL's own website, and they employ jokes like that on it.

[Slapstick]

In an NFL season defined by explosive offensive production, the Steelers were merely adequate, averaging 20.3 points per game (21st in the league) and scoring more than 30 points on just three occasions.

The Steelers recorded 27 touchdowns on 53 red-zone possessions, a 50.9 percent success rate. With talented players like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall, that wasn't nearly good enough.

Last season, the quarterback's completion percentage dropped nearly 15 percentage points once he got inside the 20 (64.7 to 50).

Nah, it's all good! Everything is fine!

[Oviedo]

Nah, it's all good! Everything is fine!

They need to remember they have a TE in the Red Zone versus throwing to smurfs. Hopefully Haley uses the TE more effectively than Arians did.

[flippy]

Who's been to blame for Red Zone production?

QB?

OLine?

OC?

Maybe Ben should take all shots to the endzone between the 50 and 20 yard line to avoid the Redzone.

[Slapstick]

Who's been to blame for Red Zone production?

QB?

OLine?

OC?

Maybe Ben should take all shots to the endzone between the 50 and 20 yard line to avoid the Redzone.

...or they could fix the problem, I guess...

[D Rock]

Dammit Ben hand off better when you run the ball 65% on first down in the red zone.

Care to address the fact that when he did throw, he didn't do it nearly as well as he did outside of the redzone?

Dammit Ben, throw better when you pass the ball the other 35% of first downs in the redzone.

[NorthCoast]

I've brought this up a few years ago. Ben might not be all the problem in the redzone, but he is certainly a piece of it. With a short field, a lot comes down to presnap recognition. Ben has the option to audible out of any play, so why doesn't he when he sees a particular defense? Rather than trusting his reads, he is waiting for guys to break free in coverage....not an easy thing to do in the red zone.

[feltdizz]

you guys are mean...

[Crash]

Care to address the fact that when he did throw, he didn't do it nearly as well as he did outside of the redzone?

Dammit Ben, throw better when you pass the ball the other 35% of first downs in the redzone.

Not hard to stop when people know what's coming.

He came back from suspension, and the Steelers had 24 first down plays in the redzone I believe after his first 9 games.

19 runs, 5 passes.

Then, in 2011, they had 19 first down plays in the redzone to start their season:

18 runs, 1 pass.

When you are THAT predictable on first down and it fails? 2nd down becomes predictable as well.

Just like the Super Bowls he's been in. They have 24 TOTAL red zone plays in three Super Bowls.

16 runs, 8 passes.

That's not "balance", but no one says a word as long as it's the beloved run game getting the work because we have to run the ball like Franco and Jerome did.

Again, why are you paying Ben big money to be Trent Dilfer?

[Crash]

I've brought this up a few years ago. Ben might not be all the problem in the redzone, but he is certainly a piece of it. With a short field, a lot comes down to presnap recognition. Ben has the option to audible out of any play, so why doesn't he when he sees a particular defense? Rather than trusting his reads, he is waiting for guys to break free in coverage....not an easy thing to do in the red zone.

With two TE's on the field? Who's he going to audible too? David freaking Johnson?

[DukieBoy]

Crash stats do show both lack of R/P balance and predictability in the red zone. With less space to operate in, offenses need unpredictability and need to dominate with size and power and scheme, all of which our RZ offense has lacked or not used well. I am expecting Haley to correct for schemes and utilization of TEs, and for more power from the OL and RBs.

[Shawn]

Care to address the fact that when he did throw, he didn't do it nearly as well as he did outside of the redzone?

Dammit Ben, throw better when you pass the ball the other 35% of first downs in the redzone.

I suspect every QB in the NFL has a lower throwing percentage in the redzone. It only makes sense because they have less field to work with.

[D Rock]

Not hard to stop when people know what's coming.

He came back from suspension, and the Steelers had 24 first down plays in the redzone I believe after his first 9 games.

19 runs, 5 passes.

Then, in 2011, they had 19 first down plays in the redzone to start their season:

18 runs, 1 pass.

When you are THAT predictable on first down and it fails? 2nd down becomes predictable as well.

Just like the Super Bowls he's been in. They have 24 TOTAL red zone plays in three Super Bowls.

16 runs, 8 passes.

That's not "balance", but no one says a word as long as it's the beloved run game getting the work because we have to run the ball like Franco and Jerome did.

Again, why are you paying Ben big money to be Trent Dilfer?

what were the results of those redzone passes he did attempt? I would imagine they should be good considering that everyone knows and expects the Steelers to run in the redzone, and the times he did pass it would therefore be unexpected.