Steelers' Kenny Pickett Not Satisfied With Improved Offensive Strategy Only Scoring 1 Touchdown: 'We Want Points'

The Pittsburgh Steelers were in dire need of an improved offensive performance in Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. In a game where the offense gained more than 400 yards in a span of 58 games, that offensive improvement seemed to have taken center stage in a critical AFC North divisional rivalry game. Coming after the termination of Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada, there was only one way to go for Kenny Pickett and the offense and fans welcomed what transpired in Cincinnati. The effort resulted in a victory and a strong 7-4 record. However, Pickett isn’t satisfied.

Steelers Need Points To Win Games, Not Just Yards

Although the combined efforts of Pickett and the passing game mixed with the ground attack of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren resulted in 421 yards, the production on the scoreboard lacked. The Steelers only managed to put up 16 points in another defensive struggle of a game. The offense only scored one touchdown of four trips to the end zone and seemed to have trouble continuing momentum on the Bengals’ side of the field. An uncharacteristic fumble by Warren inside the Bengals’ 15-yard line didn’t help the offense’s cause and the urgency for improvement has only increased as the calendar flips to December. In turn, Pickett’s focus is on one thing; points.

"Points are what we want," he said. "We want points. Yards are great, but points win you games."

Ironically enough, the points have been missing since Pickett took over under center. The team’s highest scoring effort came in the form of 26-points in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns where T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith each scored a touchdown in the contest. Meanwhile, the offense was only able to muster one touchdown to George Pickens.

Of course, that occurred under the tenure of Canada which needs to be taken into account, and the points will come when the yards continue to build. But with such of an increase in yardage only to produce 16 points seems to remain a concern for Pickett and the offense. It was as if the offense was humming, driving deep into the scoring area of the field, only to encounter a negative play and lose all momentum at that point. Like a ballroom dance, Pickett knows rhythm is crucial in converting possession downs and maintaining drives.

"The chunk plays were there. That was good," Pickett said. "I thought we had some really good drives working on some long fields. We've got to score in the red zone. We just had some negative plays we felt like kind of took us out of that rhythm, that really good rhythm that we were having. So, we need to get that fixed."

The red zone initiative Pickett highlighted has been one of the most glaring numbers so far this season, among others. The Steelers have only scored touchdowns 43.48 percent of the time inside the red zone, which is 28th in the entire league. For comparison, they posted a scoring percentage of 51.92 last season, which was 22nd in the league. The Steelers have fallen into the comfort of letting the defense win games for them, and the numbers the offense has produced inside of the red zone support that. But with a team who averages 16.5 points-per-game on offense now focused on increasing that mark, the Arizona Cardinals may be what the doctor ordered for Pickett and company.

In their last three games, the Cardinals have allowed opposing offenses to score touchdowns inside of the red zone to a rate of a 61.54-percent. That has them sitting at the 11th highest in the league. In the season, they allow a scoring percentage of 59.26, which is the 10th highest in the league. If it is points Pickett is begging for in December, he is picking the right time to find them this season. After posting his most productive game through the air, Pickett liked what running backs coach Eddie Faulkner did in taking over game-planning duties while quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan called the plays during the game.

"It felt good on Sunday," Pickett said. "Obviously you want more points, but after watching the tape and seeing how we executed in the past game, the run game, how things kind of balanced off each other. I definitely liked our performance."

Looking at the challenge that greets Pickett, the safety duo of Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker looms large. Head Coach Mike Tomlin sang their praises earlier in the week and Thompson is looking to extend his two-game interception streak. But with the Cardinals’ 30th ranked rush defense that allows over 140 yards-per-game on the ground, Pickett’s arm may not be needed much to score points in their first game in December. With that said, if there was a more glaring, very much needed “get right” game for the offense, the Steelers could have exactly that against the Cardinals.