Steelers look to carry offensive breakthrough into Browns matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent the first two weeks of the season searching for offensive consistency. Against Cincinnati, they may have finally found a formula that works: and surprisingly, it didn’t involve adding more.

After Pittsburgh’s 20-3 loss to New England, head coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged that the Steelers may have carried too much into their game plan. The response was to simplify the offense, emphasizing what Pittsburgh actually expected to use rather than trying to carry an oversized menu into Sunday. That approach paid off in a major way, as the Steelers produced 411 total yards, converted seven of 12 third downs and consistently found ways to keep drives alive in their 30-27 win over the Bengals.

Now Pittsburgh has only a few days to prepare for Thursday night’s AFC North matchup with the Cleveland Browns, making the lesson from Cincinnati even more valuable. On a shortened week, the Steelers don’t necessarily need more offense: they need to continue getting better at the offense they already have.

Less volume doesn’t mean less creativity

Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio explained Monday that simplifying Pittsburgh’s approach doesn’t mean stripping creativity from the offense. Instead, the Steelers are trying to focus more closely on the plays they believe they are actually going to call while still finding ways to present those concepts differently.

That distinction showed up against Cincinnati. Pittsburgh didn’t suddenly unveil an entirely new running game or a collection of unfamiliar concepts. Angelichio said the Steelers were running many of the same plays they had already been using, but the emphasis shifted toward better combinations, stronger execution at the first level and getting the running backs into space.

Sometimes the formation or motion changed, but the underlying concept did not. For an offense still learning McCarthy’s system, that can be an important balance. Pittsburgh can create different looks and force a defense to communicate without asking its own players to process an entirely different collection of plays every week.

The Ben Skowronek touchdown was a good example. Pittsburgh used fast motion to force Cincinnati’s defense to adjust its gaps and coverage responsibilities on the move. Angelichio explained that the motion can change the defensive picture before the snap, which creates hesitation and communication problems even when the Steelers are ultimately running a familiar concept.

That is exactly what Pittsburgh should be looking for right now: make things look complicated to the defense without making them unnecessarily complicated for the offense.

The running game finally gave Pittsburgh something to build around

The Steelers also benefited from something that had been missing during the first two games of the season: a running game capable of keeping the offense on schedule.

Jaylen Warren was at the center of that improvement. McCarthy praised Warren’s ability to create yards after contact and called him a tough football player after awarding him Pittsburgh’s offensive game ball. Angelichio also highlighted the way Warren practices, noting that even on a fake handoff, he will continue sprinting downfield after the play as if he were still involved.

That effort has helped build Pittsburgh’s trust in him, and the Steelers leaned more heavily on Warren against Cincinnati. More importantly, the success of the running game changed the rhythm of the entire offense.

Angelichio said Pittsburgh was able to “stack plays” once the run game started moving. Instead of constantly operating behind the chains, the Steelers created manageable situations and gave themselves a better chance to sustain drives. The difference was especially noticeable on third down.

Against New England, Pittsburgh converted only two of 12 third downs. Against Cincinnati, it converted seven of 12. That kind of improvement changes everything from play selection to field position to time of possession, and it gives an offense far more opportunities to find a rhythm.

Darnell Washington is becoming difficult to ignore

Simplifying the offense also allows Pittsburgh to continue leaning into matchups that are already working, and few have been more obvious than Darnell Washington.

Washington once again turned a routine reception into something considerably more difficult for the defense against Cincinnati, carrying defenders and creating yards after the catch with a combination of size and athleticism that remains unusual even by NFL standards.

McCarthy joked Monday that his reaction when Washington gets the ball is probably the same as everyone else’s: why don’t they give it to him more?

The question is becoming increasingly legitimate. Washington has always been known primarily as a blocker, but both McCarthy and Angelichio continue to point out that his receiving ability is much more developed than that label suggests. McCarthy described him as a natural receiver with strong hands, while Angelichio praised how well he moves and adjusts despite his size.

Pittsburgh does not need to design an entirely new section of the offense around Washington. The more practical answer may simply be finding additional opportunities to use a mismatch that is already creating problems.

A young offensive line gets another immediate test

The offensive improvement also came while Pittsburgh was working through changes up front. Rookie Max Iheanachor made his first start at right tackle against Cincinnati, and according to McCarthy, one of the best compliments he could receive was that nobody spent much time talking about him afterward.

Iheanachor played without obvious hesitation and handled the pre-snap responsibilities that can often become difficult for a young lineman working with Aaron Rodgers. Angelichio credited Rodgers’ communication and cadence, along with Iheanachor receiving a full week of preparation at the position, for helping the rookie settle in.

That preparation window will be considerably shorter this time. Cleveland presents another challenge up front despite no longer having Myles Garrett anchoring the defensive line.

Angelichio said the Browns still play with an attacking mentality out of a four-man structure, with Jared Verse presenting problems both against the run and as a powerful pass rusher. McCarthy also singled out Mason Graham as a player who immediately stands out on film. (Graham currently leads the NFL with four sacks.)

That puts even more value on Pittsburgh carrying over the communication and execution it showed Sunday. A short week is not the ideal time to overload a young offensive line with unnecessary changes, especially when the Steelers just had success by simplifying things.

Pittsburgh doesn’t need to reinvent what finally worked

One strong offensive performance doesn’t erase everything that happened during the first two weeks of the season, and Pittsburgh still has plenty to clean up. Even during Sunday’s win, McCarthy acknowledged communication issues that contributed to three first-half timeouts, including one situation where he simply got the play in late.

Still, for the first time this season, the Steelers have something positive to build on offensively. They ran the football effectively, converted third downs, created opportunities for Rodgers to extend plays and found production from multiple pass catchers without dramatically expanding the offense.

That may be the most encouraging part of Sunday’s performance. On a short week, with little time to install anything elaborate before facing a division rival on the road, Pittsburgh doesn’t need another overhaul.

The Steelers may have already discovered the better approach: do less, execute it better and make the defense think you’re doing more.