Why Steelers’ Offense Has Been One of the NFL’s Worst Entering Sunday’s Game vs. Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals head to Pittsburgh this week for their first AFC North game of the season. After watching the Steelers’ two previous games and digging into the data, this is the worst offense in the league.

It's so bad.

We're talking about a Steelers offense that's 31st in EPA per play (-0.38), last in Success Rate at 34.4%, 30th in Explosive Play Rate at just 5.5% and they're averaging just 3.8 yards per play which is also worst in the NFL.

How can it be so dysfunctional with one of the best quarterbacks of the last generation, an offensive minded head coach, some big name weapons and a solid stable at running back?

The Steelers are having an identity crisis on offense.

They're using Mike McCarthy’s preferred 11-personnel (3 WR) offense at a 70% clip and they're 32nd in EPA when doing so.

When they run it, they're using a Zone run scheme on 63% of their carries and they're 29th in EPA when doing so. The things they want to do, they're bad at and they're leaning into them even harder.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ play has been declining for a few years now, but he's been as bad as I've ever seen these last two weeks.

Rodgers currently has the lowest EPA total of any QB in the league at -42.4 and his 5.2 yards per attempt ranks him last as well per Next Gen Stats.

Rodgers doesn't seem to trust his protection and the offense isn't presenting open receivers. That's a bad mix; especially even teams start blitzing him.

Pittsburgh has faced the blitz on 27% of their dropbacks through two weeks and Rodgers is completing just 52.4% of his passes when blitzed. His passes are targeted into tight windows on 29% of those throws and third-highest rate in the league. The Steelers offense ranks 32nd in EPA when blitzed this season.

The Bengals don't blitz often (only 12%), but when they do, they're generating pressure on 41% of them (8th best rate) and the Cincinnati Defense has the best EPA in the league when they do send extra rushers.

It looks like you can force Rodgers into quick and bad decisions. When he's in doubt, Rodgers seems to just chuck the ball down field and hope for the best.

He has attempted 9 deep passes this season and has completed zero of them. Rodgers has a -12.7 EPA on deep balls this year. That -1.47 EPA means every time he launches a prayer down field, he's taking a point off the board for Pittsburgh. Those down field throws are going into tight coverage 78% of the time so far. These are low percentage options.

But, if it's 3rd down and I get Rodgers trying to create some magic instead of taking a sack with nobody open.

On 3rd and 4th downs this season, Rodgers has a 29.6% Success Rate which ranks him 29th in the NFL. He has completed just two passes on 11 dropbacks on 3rd downs.

So the offensive design stinks, but shouldn't DK Metcalf still be able to get open on his own? You'd think so, but when your number one receiver has the fluidity of 1989 Batman, you're left with a very vertical offense.

Metcalf is struggling to get open and against Man Coverage this season, he's seen 7 targets and has caught just two balls for 20 yards with three dropped passes.

Cincinnati’s defense has run Man Coverage of 28% of their plays this season (8th highest rate) and last year, Metcalf saw Man Coverage against the Bengals on 17 plays and only saw 2 targets on those snaps.

But it's not just Man Coverage where Metcalf is struggling in 2026, he has caught just 8 of 18 targets for 67 yards this year. That catch rate of 44% is the 3rd worst in the league, that 8.4 yards per catch is 7th worst and his 27% Drop Rate is the 3rd highest amongst receivers. Metcalf’s -10.7 EPA total and his 2 penalties are the worst of all receivers in the NFL.

So he can't turn, can't catch, but he can run fast?

Metcalf is 0 for 5 on deep targets this season with 3 of those being contested balls (close coverage by the DB).

Pittsburgh has spent a ton of recent draft picks on fixing this offensive line and have drafted many players that I liked as prospects, but the coaches have swapped players from one side to the other in the offseason and haven't let their rookies into the field just yet.

This has culminated in a 83.7% Pass Block Efficiency from the Steelers offensive line which ranks 24th in the league according to PFF.

All five starters have been charged with 5 pressures through two weeks. The Bengals have one player reach that mark.

It isn't just the offensive line contributing to blown pickups and pressures on the QB, the Steelers tight ends and running backs have been charged with 11% of the total QB pressures and that's the 8th highest rate in the league.

Ok, so pass protection is an issue but how about run blocking?

The Steelers currently rank 31st in Run Block Win Rate (68%) from ESPN.

Pittsburgh’s 27% rushing Success Rate ranks 32nd in the league.

Their runners have gained just 8 yards BEFORE contract through two games.

Now they get Dexter Lawrence and a Bengals defense that's shutting down the run with light boxes at the highest rate in the league (67.7%).

And would you be shocked if I told you the Steelers are ranked 32nd in EPA when facing light boxes this season?

Yeah, this Steelers offensive stinks.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN THIS GAME

THE STEELERS RECOVER THEIR OWN FUMBLE BUT HAD IT 4TH AND 43 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/cPTGvqbBWX
— The Sports Place (@offsportsplace) September 20, 2026

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