Steelers' Concerning Problem Resurfaces As Same Struggles Remain In 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers began their preseason on Saturday as the team took on the Jacksonville Jaguars down in Florida. Pittsburgh played pretty well and won the game by a score of 31-25, but there were some things that could be considered concerning. A ton of starters did not play and those who did, played sparingly, but there were still some issues that have been seen in the past that do not seem to have been fixed. Most of those problems come on the offensive side of the football, which actually played pretty well on Saturday as the unit put up 31 points as a whole.

The offense looked good for most of the game and the group was able to score four touchdowns, which is something fans like to see. However, one issue from 2024 was still a problem in the first preseason game, and that is short yardage situations. For some reason, Pittsburgh just cannot figure out how to run the football efficiently on third or fourth and short. Rookie Kaleb Johnson had no where to run on a fourth and one in the second quarter on Saturday, and the offense lost a yard, turning the ball over on downs.

This certainly gave some members of the fan base in Pittsburgh some frustration. It was one play from a preseason game where Johnson wasn't even running behind the starting offensive line, but it still brought back memories of Pittsburgh not being able to figure out short yardage situations. This was the case in 2024, and it might be carrying into 2025.

Pittsburgh was near the bottom of the league in 2024 when it came to converting fourth downs. Most of those were in short yardage situations where the offense tried to run the football, but got stuffed. The Steelers were second to last in the league as the offense converted on these opportunities just 36.84 percent of the time. It is extremely frustrating to see other teams have things schemed up to convert on fourth downs and other short yardage scenarios, yet Pittsburgh continues to struggle.

These types of plays have hurt the Steelers in the past. When the team lost to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football during the 2024 season, Pittsburgh turned the ball over on downs twice. One play was a fourth and two, and the other was a fourth and one. The offense lost yards on both plays. That can't happen in 2025, as both of those drives could have ended in scores and it ultimately led to the Browns winning that contest by five points. 

Good teams find ways to convert on those plays, and they are the types of plays that decide games in the playoffs. Pittsburgh will never have the level of success it wants unless it can gain the yards it needs in those critical situations.

Steelers' Arthur Smith Should Be Under Serious Pressure To Fix This Problem

Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith needs to find a way to fix this issue, and he needs to do it fast. He is entering his second season of calling the plays in Pittsburgh. Prior to Smith, the offense converted fourth downs at a rate of 45 percent in 2023, with a significantly less talented team than Pittsburgh had in 2024. The drop off is inexplainable, and a new short yardage scheme needs to be drawn up for the Steelers in order to be successful. That could already be in the works, but the coaching staff might not want to put it on display during the preseason.

Serious worry isn't necessary quite yet, but if this is a problem that is seen during the first several weeks of the regular season, the fan base will not be happy.

Is this a concern you have of the Steelers heading into the 2025 NFL season? Let us know in the comments below!

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