Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Steelers are focusing on improving their red zone performance, both offensively and defensively, as they prepare for the upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff spent time analyzing these areas after their recent 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns, which left them with an 8-3 record.

Currently, the Steelers' offense ranks low in red zone efficiency, converting only 44.7% of trips inside the opposing 20-yard line into touchdowns. This places them 30th in the NFL. On defense, while they rank 11th overall for red zone scoring allowed at 51.2%, recent performances have seen opponents score touchdowns on nearly nine out of ten trips inside the Steelers' 20-yard line.

Tomlin emphasized that addressing these issues is crucial as they move forward. "That's why we're excited about getting back to work today and the application component," he stated. He noted that fixing these problems involves examining personnel, schemes, and play calling.

The team's offensive struggles in the red zone persist despite having a similar number of opportunities as last season but showing improvement in other areas like gaining more yards per play.

Defensively, Tomlin expressed concern over allowing too many touchdowns recently but remains optimistic about improvements. "Usually it's pointed and specific on areas that we identified that need improvement," he said.

On player updates, outside linebacker Alex Highsmith may return from an ankle injury this week against Cincinnati after missing two games. His presence has been significant this season; the team is undefeated when he plays compared to a losing record without him.

Cornerback Cory Trice and defensive tackle Montravius Adams might also be available soon as they recover from injuries. Tomlin remarked on their potential returns: "We'll leave the door open for those guys."

Regarding fourth-down conversions, where Pittsburgh has struggled this season with only seven successful attempts out of fourteen tries, Tomlin maintains an aggressive approach toward maintaining possession during games. He acknowledges room for second-guessing decisions when they don't succeed but stands by his strategy: "We're going to be aggressive in terms of the pursuit of victory."

Lastly, quarterback Justin Fields continues to be part of game plans alongside Russell Wilson despite limited snaps against Cleveland due to strategic changes during matches based on weekly evaluations.