Study: Arthur Smith Is Delivering More Points In Pittsburgh

For several seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had issues on the all-important scoreboard. Former OC Matt Canada was quoted often in press conferences “we gotta score more points”. So far in 2024, the insertion of OC Arthur Smith has delivered just that and a strong 6-2 record.

Today, I will look at and provide NFL offenses points per game by season since 2019, with the goal of seeing how Pittsburgh and Smith fared in his coaching stops as OC or HC.

Here is that points per game (Pts/G) visual:

Immediately, we see that 2024 has been the best scoring output for Pittsburgh since 2020, and second-best for the Steelers since 2019. This season, the number sits at 23.4 Pts/G, ranking 14th in 2024.

That is Smith’s strongest mark since his time as OC in Tennessee, with 25.1 in 2019 and 30.7 in 2020. The latter was impressively seventh-best out of the 192 qualifying teams in the timeframe and was also above-average in 2019.

Prior to acquiring Smith, the Steelers posted just 17.9 Pts/G in 2023 (T-27th). That was their worst mark of the timeframe, even put up against the injury-riddled 2019 season (18.1, 28th). In comparison, the 2024 season has felt so much better, thankfully.

In a similar study this offseason, I anticipated that a return to OC with Pittsburgh and a more talented roster following his below average results as a HC with the Falcons (2021-23), would lead to better results for Smith and the Black and Gold.

More specifically, here are the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers point totals by week and game outcome:

Week 1: 18, W.
Week 2: 13, W.
Week 3: 20, W.
Week 4: 24, L.
Week 5: 17, L.
Week 6: 32, W.
Week 7: 37, W.
Week 8: 26, W.

Things did start off slow to begin the season, but still ran a three-game win streak as the defense allowed no more than ten points in each contest. Since, the Steelers have scored 24 or more in 4-of-5 games, with the exception being their Week Five loss to the Dallas Cowboys (20-17).

The last three games have been refreshing, posting their best point totals of 2024, including two 30-plus outings with more time under Smith. That’s virtually felt like the greatest show on turf compared to last year’s 17.9 Pts/G.

Thankfully we’ve seen Smith’s impact come to fruition, particularly of late, and encouragingly have seen potential for an even higher ceiling moving forward.

Here’s a table view of the Pts/G numbers, conditionally formatted league-wide since 2019, and Smith’s teams bolded:

Another clear view of all of Smith’s best marks coming as OC in Tennessee and so far in Pittsburgh. Although this season has been the least Pts/G in those three seasons so far, there’s room for optimism on Smith’s resume and plays left on the field for the 2024 Steelers for that number to improve.

One flipside to that coin is a tough remaining schedule, which could lead to tighter lower scoring games. Particularly all the divisional games that remain and their tendency to transpire in rock-fight fashion.

Even if Pittsburgh can stay above the 22.8 league average in the time frame, as they are heading into the bye week (23.4), it should bode well to stacking more wins the rest of the year paired with their 14.9 Pts/G allowed on defense that’s second-best in the NFL.