Steelers Snap Counts: Warren, Pickens Stand Out

The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Week 1 with a road win over the Atlanta Falcons, and did so without scoring a touchdown. An 18-10 victory was good enough to get to 1-0 , but not enough to answer the questions the offensive performance asked.

Will Justin Fields remain under center for Week 2? Is the running back committee a two-man show or a three-headed monster? What will offensive coordinator Arthur Smith make of the receiving corps?

The offense’s snap counts ( via Brian Batko ) from Sunday’s win could give some insight into Smith’s vision for the offense.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Pittsburgh’s offensive usage was running back Jaylen Warren’s surprisingly slow day.

Warren was the more efficient back last season and figured to be a big part of the 2024 Steelers offense. On Sunday, that wasn’t the case.

The third-year back saw 21 snaps against the Falcons – good for 31 percent of the team’s plays. He would find two carries for seven yards, as well as two targets for as many catches and 13 yards.

Instead, running back Cordarrelle Patterson saw nine snaps (13 percent) and took the same amount of volume (four touches). Warren managed two touches, an eight-yard rush and nine-yard catch, longer than Patterson’s biggest gain.

Patterson’s touch to snap ratio is indicative of Smith’s urgency to get his trusted playmaker the ball. But it’s also a reminder that the Steelers trust Warren as a pass blocker, meaning he should continue to get a significant share of snaps as the season rolls on, perhaps more so as he distances himself from a preseason hamstring injury.

Elsewhere, receiver George Pickens stood out. There’s no debating who’s the top dog in this receiving corps. Pickens is the team’s best playmaker and the focal point of the offense. As such, he led the team in targets (seven), catches (six), and yards (85) in the win. Tight end Pat Freiermuth was the second-leading target with 27 yards.

Still, Pickens saw just 46 snaps out of 68 plays (68 percent). Boundary receiver Van Jefferson – who was targeted twice and hauled in a single, one-yard catch – played every offensive snap.

Related: Way-Too-Early Mock Draft: Steelers Pick WR1?

This, more than anything else, is an indictment on Pickens’ skills as a blocker. Despite his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, Pickens has never separated himself as a blocker. In fact, he’s been a liability at times for the ground game.

That flared up again against Atlanta and gave Smith the opportunity to send his offense a message. Playing is a privilege, regardless of talent; and in this offense, blocking is a path to playing time – or lack thereof.

The Pittsburgh faithful will get a chance to see if Week 1 was a blip on the radar or a developing trend next Sunday against the Denver Broncos.