The Sunday night rivalry clash between the Cowboys and the Steelers was expected to be a thriller. With the Pittsburgh team looking to equal the head-to-head at 17, Justin Fields and his teammates continued to maintain a lead till the last quarter.
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However, despite entering the fourth quarter as favorites, it was the Cowboys who grabbed the victory at 20-17. Witnessing the turnaround and the missed opportunities by the Steelers offense, former tight end Shannon Sharpe on his podcast Nightcap had some harsh reality checks to deliver.
“Congratulations to the Cowboys, but they are not gonna play very many offenses that are as anemic as the Steelers. The offense is anemic, Ocho.”
Much like how Sharpe pointed out, the Steelers offense seemed in shambles throughout the game. The former football player seemed disappointed in Fields and Co. as they failed to convert a favorable game into a W.
Quoting Steelers QB’s stats, Sharpe pointed out how covering 131 yards along with completing 15 of 27 passes is just not enough in today’s NFL. Despite 2 touchdown passes, Fields averaged only 4.9 yards per attempt and also took 3 sacks.
From his numbers to the penalties, the Steelers offense found no zone to recover. On one play in the first half, while the Steelers were able to secure 12 yards on first and second down, they failed to earn a first down as they committed two false starts before the plays.
As the media addressed the offensive issues and if the situation is frustrating, Fields had just two words to offer in answer, “Most Definitely.”
Justin Fields speaks to the media after our game against the Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/3mZ4kMxZdO
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 7, 2024
In a game that was mostly dominated by the defensive teams, the Cowboys managed to win by scoring last quarter touchdowns. It was the change of strategy on third-and-four, especially during low-scoring situations, that permitted the Dallas team to beat the Pittsburgh side.
To overcome this barrier, Shannon Sharpe had some straightforward answers for the Steelers offense to follow.
Shannon Sharpe provides a solution to the Steelers offense
Despite a dominant start to the 2024 season with 2 wins, the Steelers offense could easily be seen struggling on the gridiron. However, amidst calling out the troubled Pittsburgh players, Shannon Sharpe also made sure to drop honest advice for them to follow. The analyst had a simple 3-word solution, “Steelers gotta open.”
That is precisely what the offense in the Steel Curtain has been struggling with, a failure to expand their prowess across the field. Like Sharpe pointed out, they can’t play too close to the west. The answer isn’t always to depend on the defense, like the Steelers have been doing, even in the games they have won.
In terms of stats, what Sharpe meant was that instead of running or passing for yards, the Steelers’ offense has collapsed. They have failed to convert the passes into yardages.
They stand 23rd in total yards per game and 27th in passing yards. Thus, if Steel City wants to get back their winning streak, they ought to run the ball for over 200-250 yards and provide better passing protection.
