Why Mike McCarthy must fix the Steelers broken third-down plan

LeeAnn Lowman, Steelers WireTue, October 20, 2026 at 2:20 PM UTC

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have created third-and-6 or shorter at the third-highest rate in the NFL this season. Yet, despite putting themselves in manageable situations, their conversion rate remains among the league’s worst. The issue isn't a lack of opportunity; it is a glaring operational disconnect in play-calling.

During Pittsburgh’s recent outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the offense converted just five of 15 third downs. The root cause was evident in the formation data; Pittsburgh dropped back to pass on all 15 third downs, lining up in shotgun on 14 of them.

According to beat reporter Alan Saunders on the “Locked on Steelers” podcast, for an offense built around physicality, abandoning under-center formations and the ground game in short-yardage scenarios is artificially crippling drive sustainability. Over the course of the season, Pittsburgh has opted to run the ball just eight times on 54 third-and-short or medium opportunities. The catch? They converted only six of those eight attempts.

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"They were in shotgun on 14 of their 15 third downs against the Buccaneers," noted Saunders. "I think they probably would do better throwing the ball if teams were more afraid of the run whether you run it or not. Their numbers with play action are very good. I feel like they get into this like third down equals like two-minute drill play calling that I don't think serves them very well."

By operating almost exclusively out of shotgun, head coach Mike McCarthy allows opposing pass rushers to pin their ears back and play man coverage without fearing a ground threat. Aligning under center, even to set up play-action passes to Pat Freiermuth or DK Metcalf, forces linebackers to hesitate and respects the threat of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.

If McCarthy wants to fix Pittsburgh's stagnant third-down efficiency, the solution is right in front of him - line up under center, lean on physical running, and make defenses defend the entire field.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Why Mike McCarthy must fix the Steelers broken third-down plan

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Source: “AOL Sports”