It’s obvious that the Pittsburgh Steelers offense hasn’t performed up to expectations so far this season in several areas. One of those areas is related to how the unit starts games.
So far through their first eight games the Steelers have scored just 3 times in their first two possessions of games and as you can imagine, that ranks them close to the bottom of the league entering Week 10.
The Steelers offensive unit is averaging just 5.3 plays in their first two drives of games and they’ve gone three-and-out 5 times out of 16 total possessions. Only four times has the Steelers offense possessed the football for longer than 2:55 on their first two offensive possessions of a game and all three of those ended without points being scored.
Compounding that slow start problem is the fact that three of those other 16 possessions have ended in interceptions and the opposition scored a total of 10 points off those turnovers. Additionally, one other possession ended with a blocked field goal and that happened on the first possession in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. That turnover, per se, resulted in another 3-points for the opposition.
While an offense will gladly take points anyway they can get them, the three times the Steelers offense has scored during their first two possessions of a game have all come via explosive plays of 31 yards or more. Do you remember the three plays? Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey scored two of them while fellow wide receiver Sammie Coates had the other one. In other words, it’s been feast or famine.
Sunday at Heinz Field, the Steelers will host the (7-1) Dallas Cowboys and their offense sure has been productive at the start of games. In fact, out of 16 total possessions, their offensive unit has score 11 times with 7 of those ending with touchdowns.
If the Steelers offense doesn’t start fast starting Sunday, there’s a good chance they’ll be playing from behind for more most of the first half.
Steelers First Two Offensive Possessions Recap Through Week 9
| OPP | POS# | TIME R | TIME L | TOP | OBT | LOS | PLYS | YDS | PYDS | NYDS | FD | LLOS | RES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAS | 1 | 11:16 | 9:20 | 1:56 | Punt | PIT 13 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | PIT 21 | PUNT |
| WAS | 2 | 5:56 | 3:46 | 2:10 | KO | PIT 25 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 1 | WAS 46 | INT |
| CIN | 1 | 15:00 | 13:13 | 1:47 | KO | PIT 25 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | PIT 34 | PUNT |
| CIN | 2 | 10:14 | 6:25 | 3:49 | Punt | PIT 16 | 10 | 52 | -5 | 47 | 3 | CIN 37 | INT |
| PHI | 1 | 15:00 | 8:49 | 6:11 | KO | PIT 25 | 11 | 57 | 0 | 57 | 3 | *PHI 18 | BLK FG |
| PHI | 2 | 5:29 | 3:10 | 2:19 | KO | PIT 8 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 1 | PIT 27 | PUNT |
| KC | 1 | 12:28 | 8:55 | 3:33 | Punt | PIT 5 | 6 | 50 | -5 | 45 | 2 | KC 50 | PUNT |
| KC | 2 | 8:50 | 7:27 | 1:23 | FUM | KC 32 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 32 | 1 | KC 31 | TD |
| NYJ | 1 | 11:45 | 10:16 | 1:29 | KO | PIT 25 | 3 | 75 | 0 | 75 | 1 | PIT 28 | TD |
| NYJ | 2 | 6:01 | 0:47 | 5:14 | Punt | PIT 20 | 8 | 35 | -10 | 25 | 2 | PIT 45 | PUNT |
| MIA | 1 | 15:00 | 12:13 | 2:47 | KO | PIT 24 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1 | PIT 38 | PUNT |
| MIA | 2 | 8:34 | 5:39 | 2:55 | KO | PIT 25 | 6 | 70 | 5 | 75 | 3 | PIT 40 | TD |
| NE | 1 | 15:00 | 12:51 | 2:09 | KO | PIT 25 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | PIT 33 | PUNT |
| NE | 2 | 12:42 | 10:18 | 2:24 | FUM | NE 45 | 4 | 34 | -5 | 29 | 1 | *NE 16 | INT |
| BAL | 1 | 15:00 | 13:26 | 1:34 | KO | PIT 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | PIT 28 | PUNT |
| BAL | 2 | 10:40 | 9:04 | 1:36 | Punt | PIT 12 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | PIT 17 | PUNT |
