Steelers' Key Road Statistical Could Prove To Be A Problem

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been perfect at home this season. On the road, their offense has looked like a different unit, and that is something to watch with a trip to Cincinnati up next.

In ESPN's midseason review of the league's first-year head coaches, Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor noted that Pittsburgh is 4-0 at home for the first time since 2020. Head Coach Mike McCarthy's offense averages 27.8 points per game at Acrisure Stadium, according to ESPN Research.

Away from Pittsburgh, that number drops to 17.3 points per game. That is a gap of more than 10 points.

"The Steelers have a 4-0 record at home in 2026, which is their first such start since going 6-0 at home in 2020. And McCarthy’s offense has shown up at Acrisure Stadium, averaging 27.8 points per game in Pittsburgh versus 17.3 on the road," Pryor wrote.

The results back it up. The Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-13, the Cincinnati Bengals 30-27, the Indianapolis Colts 34-22 and the Cleveland Browns 27-6 at home. On the road, they lost 20-3 to the New England Patriots and 27-24 in Cleveland, then beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-19 and the New Orleans Saints 16-10 in Paris.

Pittsburgh is 2-2 away from home, and neither road win came by more than seven points.

Steelers' Passing Game Is Part Of The Problem

Pryor pointed to the passing game as the area that has held the offense back. The Steelers rank 20th in the NFL in passing yards per game at 210.5 and 21st in air yards per attempt at 6.5.

That has put a lot of weight on the run game. Running back Jaylen Warren and a young offensive line have given the Steelers a physical identity, and the offense has been at its best when it can lean on them. It is easier to do that at home, with a crowd on your side and the game script often in your favor.

The low points have come away from home. The offense managed just three points in New England and 16 in Paris. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was brought in to steady the passing game, and the coaching staff has had the bye week to look at what is going wrong.

Pryor also noted that the Steelers called designed runs on only 31% of their goal-to-go plays over their last four games. For a team built around its run game, that is a number McCarthy may want to revisit, especially on the road.

Steelers' Upcoming Road Schedule Gets Tougher

The timing is not great. Five of the Steelers' last nine games are on the road, starting with the Bengals on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 15 and the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 22.

Two of those road games come against division rivals. After Cincinnati, Pittsburgh closes the regular season in Baltimore in Week 18, a game that could decide the AFC North. The Steelers also visit the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football on Dec. 14 and the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 3.

Cincinnati is the first test. The Bengals are 5-2, right behind Pittsburgh in the division, and the Steelers are 3-3 in Cincinnati since Joe Burrow arrived in 2020. Scoring 17 points might not be enough against Burrow in a primetime game at Paycor Stadium.

The good news is that the defense has traveled. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's unit has held opponents to a league-best 51.3 rushing yards per game over the last three games, according to ESPN, and it has kept the Steelers in every road game except the Week 2 loss in New England.

If the offense can bring even part of its home production to Cincinnati, the Steelers will be in a strong position to sweep the Bengals and take control of the division. SteelerNation has also looked at how McCarthy plans to use Warren, which could be a big part of the answer.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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