The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the final week of the 2024 regular season, and with it being the team’s latest game fans’ hopes remain high heading into the final stretch of the season. The hope is there is a winning performance on the horizon on Saturday in Week 18 when the team hosts the Cincinnati Bengals.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to on offense to claim their eleventh victory of 2024? Let’s break it down…

Offense

Actually Score Points

Sometimes yearly totals can be deceiving. Averages can carry weight from the early portions of the season which don’t truly indicate the success, or failures, of a unit at the end of the season. That is certainly true for the Steelers offense in terms of point production. Let’s tae a look at the team’s last 5 games, and their offensive output:

• at CIN – 44
• vs. CLE – 27
• at PHI – 13
• at BAL – 17
• vs. KC – 10

Add all those up and do some simple math, and it comes out to a 22.2 points per game average over the last five contests. However, if you take out that Cincinnati game, which included a defensive score, what would it look like then? Try 16.7 points per game. Quite the difference.

In this week 18 showdown the Steelers need to do something they haven’t since their last time playing the Bengals, and that is put up 30+ points to prove they are still capable.

Don’t Turn It Over

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The last time the Steelers went without a turnover was the New York Jets prime time game, Russell Wilson’s first start with the Steelers. It’s been that long. This is a trend which needs to change, and quick. During the Bengals 4-game winning streak, they have been taking the ball away at a ridiculous clip. They are getting their offense extra possessions, and even adding points for the team. The Steelers saw this first-hand when Wilson threw a pick-six in the first series of the game in Cincinnati. With the Steelers trend of coughing up the ball lately, the turnover streak needs to end.

Gain Momentum

The Bengals defense is not an elite unit, most would say they aren’t even an average unit. In their last 8 games the Bengals have surrendered less than 20 points only once, a 24-6 win over the Browns two weeks ago. This is a time when the Steelers offense needs to garner some momentum and get their mojo back. Everyone is back and healthy and coming off a nice break after the Christmas day fiasco vs. the Chiefs. Can the Steelers offense move the ball, put up some points and get some confidence back before the postseason? Let’s hope so…

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!