The Pittsburgh Steelers are within the midst of a three-game shedding streak. They misplaced to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, 29-10, on Christmas Day. Ten are the fewest factors the offense has scored all season with both quarterback beginning. And QB Russell Wilson didn’t throw a landing for the second time since taking up because the starter in Week 7.
Within the midst of that three-game shedding streak, the offense has failed to attain greater than 17 factors in any sport. It’s a far cry from the offense that hung 20+ in 5 of the earlier seven video games. However is it merely Wilson is regressing? Or is there a much bigger situation at play?
“The Steelers’ offensive line isn’t defending Russell Wilson,” former Steelers NT Chris Hoke on KDKA Nightly Sports activities Name after the Chiefs sport. “He can’t sit within the pocket. Guys are screaming off the sting, the pocket’s getting pushed again. You want time within the pocket to have the ability to throw the ball down the sphere. The time goes fast. What number of instances was Russell Wilson attempting to roll out of the pocket after which while you’re working, rolling out of the pocket, all the things’s occurring so quick. Every thing’s blurry and also you’re solely seeing half the sphere, so I consider that they should begin up entrance.
“When he was throwing the deep ball down the sphere [earlier in the season], he had extra time to throw the soccer. And the offensive line has to get again on their Ps and Qs. They’ve acquired to have the ability to work out a few of these blitzes or simply man-to-man, win these matchups or they’re not going to push the ball down the sphere as a result of when Russell Wilson first got here on the scene, he was throwing that deep ball. He was hitting the moon balls. You haven’t seen them as a result of he’s working for his life very often.”
Per Professional Soccer Focus, the final three weeks have been three of Wilson’s worst performances as a Steelers quarterback. And to nobody’s shock, opposing defenses have introduced Wilson down no less than twice in every of these video games.
However it all got here to a head on Christmas Day in opposition to the Chiefs. They pressured Wilson 20 instances and sacked him 5 instances. Each numbers had been a season-high for Wilson. The fourth sack meant Wilson additionally handed former Steelers Tremendous Bowl-winning QB Ben Roethlisberger for third on the all-time most-sacked quarterback listing. Not probably the most prestigious listing to cross Roethlisberger on.
And for historic context, defensive pressures are turning into sacks at a charge of 21.3 p.c this season for Wilson. That quantity would rank because the third-highest variety of his profession.
Wilson has additionally had two turnover-worthy performs in every of the final two video games. Earlier than that, he solely had three complete all season.
And we are able to see that Wilson’s deep-ball productiveness has dropped. Previous to the three-game shedding streak, Wilson solely had two video games with lower than seven yards per try. He’s averaged lower than that in all three video games (together with lower than six yards per try twice).
So statistically, we see that Russell Wilson is taking part in a few of his worst soccer throughout this three-game stretch. An enormous a part of that’s as a result of he’s being pressured at fairly a excessive charge. And when he’s pressured, his completion proportion drops almost 30 factors (73.9 to 44.9). He additionally averages almost two yards per try much less (8.3 to six.4).
Additionally, as Hoke famous, Wilson has been working for his life. He’s scrambled 10 instances within the final three video games, together with a season-high six instances in opposition to the Chiefs, per PFF. He’s additionally averaging over three seconds to throw in every of the final two video games. Wilson is holding onto the ball and scrambling to make performs. He’s been at his finest when he’s been capable of drop again and assault defenses deep. However he hasn’t been in a position to do this recently due to the defensive stress.
So if the Steelers need to see their offense enhance heading into Week 18 and particularly the playoffs, they should maintain Russell Wilson protected. In any other case, anticipate to see Wilson scrambling much more and few factors going up on the scoreboard.
