Season in Review: Second Down (2008)

We wondered how Pittsburgh's poor first down performance in 2008 would impact subsequent downs.

And now we know.

Let's begin with a breakdown of rushing plays to passing plays:

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Rushing Plays	196	182	155	151	230
Passing Plays	144	173	209	186	112
Total Off. Plays, 1st Down	340	355	364	337	342

	2005	2006	2007	2008
Rushing Plays	178	160	174	152
Passing Plays	150	177	165	185
Total Off. Plays, 1st Down	328	337	339	337

The median number of second down plays for the period 2000-2008 is 339, making 2008 about as average as average can be, at least in that respect. That fact makes the number of rushing plays called all the more alarming. Specifically, 152 rushing plays on second down is the second lowest total in the past nine seasons (only 2003, a season in which the Steelers went 6-10, was worse). Not surprisingly the number of pass plays called on second down in 2008 was the third highest of the past nine seasons, and the highest since 2003.

As mentioned earlier, the Pittsburgh offense performed poorly on first down but the question now is "how poorly?" To answer that we look at a breakdown of the second down plays by the distance required (i.e. for a first down or touchdown):


What the graph shows us is that the number of second down plays on which Pittsburgh required five yards or fewer was tied for the lowest number in the past nine seasons (88, tied with 2007). The number of plays requiring 6-10 yards was at its fourth highest during the past nine seasons.

Of even greater concern the number of second down plays on which more than ten yards was required reached a four year high and was at its fourth highest point of the past nine seasons. This fact can only mean that the number of first down plays in 2008 which resulted in lost yardage was amongst the highest of any season in the past nine.

Finally we look at how the Pittsburgh offense operated on second down, offering up a look at the average gain on second down and the difference between the average passing play and the average rushing play:


The notion that the Pittsburgh Steelers are a "run first" team is simply a fiction.

While second down passes averaged more than six yards (6.36) for only the second time in the past nine seasons, rushing plays had their second worst average (3.76 yards) over the same period (in 2003 the Steelers averaged 2.95 yards per second down rushing attempt).

First down performance was poor, forcing the Steelers to throw the football more often. However on those occasions when a rushing play was called the offense performed as poorly as at any time in recent memory.

We are afraid to examine third down ~ let's take the weekend to prepare ourselves.