What Will Raiders See in Steelers' Offense?

The Las Vegas Raiders will face a Pittsburgh Steelers offense that has not fully clicked in 2024. Does that give them a better chance to win?

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) scrambles against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-3, trying to get their season back on track as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday afternoon. 

The Raiders are coming off a tough loss and are still dealing with Davante Adams trade rumors. Raider Nation is fed up with how things have gone through the first five games. 

The Steelers are also coming off a loss, their second straight after winning their first three games. 

As usual, the Steelers’ defense has been excellent this season. We previewed what they’ve accomplished here. 

However, as Steelers fans have become accustomed to, the offense has been underwhelming. While there have been more encouraging signs offensively than in previous years, Pittsburgh has still largely not performed to the level it would like to on that side of the ball. 

That could be due to several injuries on the offensive line. Guard James Daniels has a torn Achilles, rookie tackle Troy Fautanu dislocated his kneecap, and they have not had Nate Herbig all season due to a shoulder injury. 

Missing several significant contributors on the offensive line has not led to run-game success, which new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith is aiming for. 

Quarterback Russell Wilson has not played this season due to a calf injury, but he is now practicing fully and could be back to face the Silver and Black. 

Justin Fields has done a good job piloting the offense in his absence. The former Chicago Bear has thrown for 961 yards, five touchdowns, and just one interception. He has also run for 172 yards and three touchdowns. 

Overall, though, the Steelers’ offense has been lackluster. They rank 23rd in total offense (299.4 yards per game) and 26th in scoring (18.4 points per game). 

They rank 20th in offensive estimated points added per play (-0.03), meaning they are expected to not score each time they snap the ball. 

The Raiders should expect a lot of runs. Pittsburgh runs the ball on 54.5 percent of their plays, the third-highest percentage in the league. Smith has always been a run-heavy coach, dating back to his days in Tennessee with the Titans. 

The Steelers have two running backs capable of gashing the Raiders in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Without Christian Wilkins in the middle, the Steelers’ run game will be hard to stop. 

In some metrics, the Steelers’ offense has been worse than the Raiders’. However, if their defense makes enough plays, they have a chance to win.

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