Steelers' Arthur Smith Held Responsible For 1 Major Offensive Failure In 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense was painfully bad in the 2023 season. That’s why the Steelers brought in Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith to help fix their issues. Another key move was acquiring veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to stabilize the offense. 

The Steelers also secured their future at tight end by extending Pat Freiermuth, demonstrating confidence in his ability to play a key role moving forward. Freiermuth showed promise as a rookie catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger, but has since struggled to find consistent opportunities.

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly weighed in on Freiermuth’s role during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday. When asked if Darnell Washington might already be better than Freiermuth, Kaboly admitted he’s been impressed by Washington’s physicality and potential. However, he emphasized that Freiermuth’s struggles aren’t entirely on him. Kaboly pointed to the coaching staff’s decisions, particularly Smith’s offensive scheme, as a factor in Freiermuth’s limited impact.

"If you look at one thing with Russell, Arthur Smith, and this offense that you have to question, it has been the inability to get Freiermuth involved more," explained Kaboly. "Pretty much everybody else on that offense has found a niche and I don’t think Freiermuth has found that yet."

Kaboly has been quick to commend Wilson, Smith, and the rest of the Steelers' coaching staff for their efforts, but he identifies one critical area in need of improvement. 

He believes the lack of involvement for Freiermuth in the offense is a significant concern. While Kaboly isn’t entirely sure who bears the most responsibility, he suggests that Smith must shoulder at least part of the blame.

"I think it is getting to the point where you can be critical of if it’s Russell, or Tomlin, or Smith, whoever is responsible for not getting him more involved because he is that talented," Kaboly said.

There was a lot of excitement about Smith running the Steelers' offense, largely due to his reputation for utilizing tight ends effectively. However, the challenge with Smith’s approach is that he tends to spread opportunities among multiple tight ends, which can overshadow the need to focus on Freiermuth. 

Many expected Freiermuth to be a centerpiece of the passing attack this season, but that hasn’t been the case. While his opportunities have slightly increased, Freiermuth has managed just 31 catches for 295 yards and three touchdowns through 10 games.

Steelers Need More Out Of Pat Freiermuth Down The Stretch

As the most critical stretch of the 2024 season begins, the Steelers face one of the toughest back halves of the schedule in the league. To secure the AFC North, they’ll need more production not just from Freiermuth, but from the entire offense. The Steelers have shown flashes of being a legitimate contender, but many fans and analysts are eager to see Smith find ways to get Freiermuth more involved in the offense as the stakes rise.

Wilson has won all four of his starts with the Steelers, but he’s coming off his toughest performance yet in a narrow victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Now, on a short week, Wilson will look to bounce back against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football. He’s aiming to secure his fifth straight win and remain unbeaten as a starter.

If the Steelers can take down the Browns and improve to 9-2, their status as legitimate contenders will only grow stronger. However, a loss to a struggling Cleveland team could quickly shift the momentum and cast doubt over their trajectory heading into the final stretch of the season.

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