Steelers Run Identical Red Zone Play for Two Touchdowns

The Pittsburgh Steelers are gaining offensive consistency in the red zone by successfully deploying an identical passing play to two different tight ends weeks apart, according to film study breakdowns from Steelers Depot. Identical red zone calls resulted in touchdowns in both Week 5 and Week 7, demonstrating that going back to the well can yield major results for Pittsburgh’s offense.

Executing the Scheme Against the Saints

The sequence was most recently highlighted during the Steelers’ 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. Facing a second-and-goal from the Saints’ 4-yard line, Pittsburgh aligned in an empty set out of 13 personnel, featuring one running back and three tight ends. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington were positioned to the boundary, while the other three receivers lined up to the field: DK Metcalf as the No. 3 innermost receiver, Robert Tonyan as the No. 2, and Rico Dowdle out wide as the No. 1.

To the trips side, Metcalf ran a slant while Tonyan and Dowdle ran a slant-and-flat combination as an attempted rub or pick play. To the other side, Freiermuth ran an option route designed to beat the defender’s leverage, while Washington ran a fade. The scheme is built to beat a man blitz using full-slide protection with an edge defender intentionally left uncovered, leaving five blockers to handle six rushers. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers played the matchups and selected his preferred target, throwing a fade to capitalize on the Saints placing the 5-foot-11, 199-pound Kool-Aid McKinstry on the much larger Washington. Washington jumped over McKinstry and hauled in the ball for a touchdown.

Flashback to Week 5 and Personnel Strategy

A similar execution took place earlier in the season during Week 5, coming off a first-and-goal from the Indianapolis Colts’ 1-yard line. Utilizing the same exact play out of 13 personnel with Freiermuth and Washington to the boundary, Metcalf as the No. 3, Tonyan as the No. 2, and Jaylen Warren replacing the injured Dowdle as the No. 1, the offense ran the identical package against a six-man blitz. While Freiermuth broke out on his option route instead of inside—and Rodgers targeted Freiermuth on the out rather than throwing a fade to Washington—the result was identical.

According to film analysis from Steelers Depot, the Steelers utilize heavy personnel to force defenses into base formations and restrict their coverage options. This tactical choice creates favorable mismatches, putting either a less-athletic linebacker on a pass catcher like Freiermuth—as seen against the Colts—or a smaller cornerback on a larger target like Washington, as occurred against the Saints. While Pittsburgh’s broader red-zone offense still has work to do, this specific play has reliably produced two touchdowns.