Steelers' Playoff Nightmare Has A New Escape Route With One Ugly Catch

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent nearly a decade turning January into an annual exercise in frustration. A winning record arrives, expectations rise, and then the playoffs remind everybody why December optimism doesn't count as a postseason victory. At 6-2, Pittsburgh is once again giving its fans a reason to believe. This time, though, an NFL insider sees something that previous contenders couldn't consistently lean on when the schedule got nasty.

It's not a new quarterback trick or another defensive star making a spectacular play. Mike DeFabo of The Athletic believes Pittsburgh has developed two strengths that could actually travel into January: an unusually efficient rushing attack and a defense capable of dictating games up front.

The Steelers haven't won a playoff game since January 15, 2017, when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs 18-16. The seasons since have produced plenty of respectable records and more than enough painful exits. Fans have heard every variation of "this team is different." DeFabo at least has evidence beyond the usual locker-room confidence.

Speaking during a recent discussion, the insider explained what separates Pittsburgh's current approach from the formulas that have fizzled before.

“Right now, the Steelers have the best rushing attack in the NFL if you're looking at EPA per play. Jaylen Warren is the most efficient running back in the NFL with 5.9 yards per carry and atop the league with 6.9 yards per touch. And then defensively, they're top five in virtually every important stat, including EPA, scoring, all of that,” DeFabo said.

The rushing claim holds up. Pittsburgh leads the NFL in rushing expected points added per play through eight games, an efficiency measure that accounts for down, distance and game situation. The Steelers aren't merely grinding out a respectable average by handing the ball off forty times. Their runs are creating meaningful value.

Jaylen Warren has been the engine. He owns 704 rushing yards on 119 carries, a 5.9-yard average, and has added 294 receiving yards. Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Warren ran for 143 yards on 17 attempts while Pittsburgh rolled up 200 rushing yards in a 27-6 win. He made a defense that arrived looking for a physical fight spend much of the afternoon losing one.

Warren deserves his flowers, but the blocking deserves a share of the spotlight. Zach Frazier has helped organize the interior, while Troy Fautanu is finding his footing at left tackle. The ground attack works because the front creates angles and Warren has the patience to identify them. No running back consistently reaches the second level through a wall of unblocked defenders.

There's a practical playoff advantage here. A successful running game can keep an offense out of third-and-long, shorten the afternoon for an opposing pass rush and prevent a close game from becoming a weekly Aaron Rodgers rescue mission. At 42, Rodgers doesn't need the offense asking him to be a one-man comeback department every Sunday.

The other half of DeFabo's argument lives on defense. Pittsburgh is allowing 18 points per game, third best in the league, and leads the NFL with 26 sacks. The unit ranks sixth in defensive EPA per play allowed, just outside his broad top-five description. That's still a strong profile, particularly after the communication problems that followed the first Cleveland loss.

Under Patrick Graham, the front has become increasingly difficult to run against. Cameron Heyward helps control the interior, TJ Watt threatens the edge, and Patrick Queen can turn an uncertain protection call into a quick trip backward. The Saints managed just 18 rushing yards before Cleveland finished with 34. Opponents are being pushed toward obvious passing situations, exactly where Pittsburgh wants them.

DeFabo believes those strengths could finally matter when regular-season wins stop earning anyone congratulations.

“Those two things translate and those two things are what give me some level of confidence that the Steelers are going to be in this division fight until the very end and, you know, have a legitimate chance to win the division and that maybe this is a team that has the best chance in recent history to actually win a playoff game if they can get there,” DeFabo said.

He's making a reasonable argument, although the numbers contain one enormous warning label. Pittsburgh ranks 27th in EPA per dropback. A great rushing offense cannot guarantee an opponent will let it keep running, especially when a playoff deficit demands faster scores. The team's passing-game concerns are more than a minor blemish on an otherwise spotless résumé.

DK Metcalf hasn't consistently provided the reliable receiving threat Pittsburgh needs, and Rodgers still has to punish defenses that crowd the line of scrimmage. January coordinators will happily load the box until somebody makes them regret it. You don't win a playoff game simply by showing the opponent an excellent rushing EPA ranking.

Steelers Have To Fix The Missing Piece Before January

DeFabo is right about the opportunity. This version of Pittsburgh can win without asking the defense to create a turnover every other possession or demanding a late miracle from its quarterback. That's meaningful progress, and Mike McCarthy deserves credit for building an offense that can dictate terms on the ground.

But the Steelers shouldn't confuse a sustainable foundation with a complete postseason offense. Their best chance to end the drought comes from forcing opponents to respect the run and fear the throw. If the passing attack remains stuck near the bottom of the league, the next January disappointment will feel painfully familiar.

Pittsburgh finally has a credible route out of its playoff wilderness. Whether it reaches the exit depends on what McCarthy fixes before the road gets crowded.

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