Crimson zone play is a crucial think about successful soccer video games. The Pittsburgh Steelers struggled mightily in 2024 and made a notable enchancment in 2025. That was of encouraging to see, significantly within the final purpose of scoring touchdowns.
As an example this, listed here are purple zone landing charges for NFL offenses within the 2024 and 2025 seasons:
On the x-axis, we see the painful 2024 outcomes have been close to the underside of the league. That 48.2 p.c purple zone landing charge ranked twenty ninth within the NFL. Final season, this vastly improved to 58.8 p.c. That’s greater than a ten p.c enchancment, shifting the Steelers all the way in which as much as an eleventh rank in 2025.
QB Aaron Rodgers was a key distinction in his first season with Pittsburgh. The savvy veteran excelled within the purple space, along with his expertise paying off the place tighter areas make issues harder for lots of quarterbacks.
One instance was the Russell Wilson/Justin Fields expertise in 2024, particularly Fields. The 2025 Steelers additionally had extra purple zone speeding TDs, in addition.
The 2026 purple zone success can be drastically impacted by a change in teaching workers. This made me curious what new HC Mike McCarthy’s monitor report has been.
Right here is how his Dallas Cowboys offenses ranked:
2024: twenty third (QB damage)2023: 2nd2022: 5th2021: 11th2020: nineteenth (QB damage)
When McCarthy had a wholesome QB, the purple zone TD outcomes have been sturdy. There have been three seasons that ranked equal or higher than the 2025 Steelers, together with two high 5 ranks. It was proof of McCarthy’s offensive thoughts paying off, little doubt. That aligns with Pittsburgh’s purple zone offense probably remaining sturdy in 2026 on paper.
The flip aspect is that this: What if Rodgers will get injured? Sure, this may very well be a chance for different quarterbacks to see the sector. However for all of McCarthy’s offensive prowess, he wasn’t capable of overcome beginning QB accidents in his most up-to-date teaching stint.
In fact, there’s additionally the factor of McCarthy and Rogers reuniting. Their final 5 seasons collectively in Inexperienced Bay have been largely profitable, with above common ranks in 4 of 5 years, together with three high 1o groups.
Plus, the Steelers made extra investments to offensive personnel this offseason. Contemplating all these elements, the stats and details actually make for a very good feeling about what the 2026 Steelers offense can accomplish. Hopefully that features a sturdy purple zone offense that’s placing up factors.
