Nearly all the way through the 2025 season, one statistic shows the Steelers have been the pinnacle of mediocrity. Rather than a “historic” defense, they have had a profoundly average one—and an offense to match. All told, it’s no surprise they are exactly where they are, fighting for the crown of the NFL’s worst division in Week 18.
One of our favorite barometer metrics to use is adjusted net yards per attempt and attempt differential. Teams that have a high net average on offense, obviously, have a good passing game. Teams that have a low net average allowed on defense, you might have guessed, have a good passing defense. The net difference between a team’s two figures is a strong predictor of success, and the Steelers are…average.
With one game to play, the Steelers are averaging 6.1 OANY/A and 6.0 DANY/A. The 0.1 differential puts them almost squarely in the middle of the league, ranking 15th overall. And they are in a cluster of mediocre teams with similar numbers like the Ravens, Chiefs, and Colts. The 49ers are an interesting exception with a -0.1 differential, averaging 7.0 OANY/A and 7.1 DANY/A.
Each of the top seven teams in the differential statistic have already clinched a playoff spot. Eleven of the top 12 and 12 of the top 14 have as well. Either the Steelers or Ravens will make it, with nobody ranked 18th or lower in position to make the postseason.
And you can guess which teams are at the bottom: the Titans, Raiders, Commanders, Dolphins, etc. But most teams have a weaker area and a stronger area. The Steelers are one of the teams equally mediocre on both sides of the ball, helping to explain their inconsistency.
The Steelers were a little better last year, ranking 12th with an OANY/A of 6.2 and a DANY/A of 5.7. In 2024, 14 of the top 16 teams in ANY/A differential qualified for the postseason. It’s worth noting that, most years, the Steelers haven’t been great, though. Since Ben Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019, the 0.5 differential last year was their second-highest mark behind the 1.5 of 2020. For three straight years after that, they were in the negative, going as low as -0.9.
With Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey, this year was supposed to be different. The Steelers weren’t supposed to have a mediocre defense. They weren’t even supposed to have a mediocre offense. They were supposed to have a physical, run-first attack that just needed Rodgers to make the key plays.
And sometimes they have looked like that. But for most of the year, they have looked like the profoundly average team their numbers indicate. And no number is more profoundly average than the Steelers’ ANY/A numbers and differential. They are right in the middle of the pack, where they’ve been for the past decade.