The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally touched down in Dublin, and with them comes a wave of anticipation for Sunday’s international showdown against the Minnesota Vikings. It’s a rare stage, and the optics are electric. Two storied franchises are clashing on foreign soil, an entire continent is watching, and a Steelers offense is under scrutiny for its identity. As fans in Ireland prepare for their first live NFL spectacle, the team itself is navigating jet lag, adjustment, and internal direction.
For Pittsburgh, this trip is more than a novelty. To describe it perfectly, it’s a football test. On the other hand, the Vikings bring a defense that’s patient and opportunistic, capable of shutting down rhythm throws and forcing turnovers. But before the high-voltage Steelers vs Vikings matchup on Sunday, Mike Tomlin’s team must answer pressing questions: Can their offense stretch the field and force defenses to pay? Or will they remain boxed into a short-passing, screen-heavy approach that limits explosiveness? Well, the stakes are high, and the tone is set before Sunday’s matchup.
But the Steelers have an answer for this question as they have landed near Croke Stadium in Ireland. NFL reporter Nick Farabaugh was the first to deliver an on-site update, revealing that wide receiver Calvin Austin III was the first Steeler to speak after the team arrived in Dublin. Austin admitted he logged only about four hours of sleep on the cross-Atlantic flight, but he steered attention quickly to the bigger narrative. When asked about Pittsburgh’s reliance on screens and yards-after-catch, he acknowledged that approach but added a crucial qualifier: “the offense is on the search for chunk gains and downfield passes.”
A Shift in the Offensive Lens Before the Steelers vs Vikings Matchup
Austin’s phrasing, which states “chunk gains” and “downfield passes,” is code for aggressiveness, stretch concepts, and attacking coverages vertically. For a Steelers team that has leaned heavily on short throws, quick screens, and yards after the catch, that shift would represent a meaningful evolution.
Actually, the numbers reveal why this matters. Pittsburgh currently leads the league with 443 yards after the catch this season, per Steelers.com. This is proof that tells us their receivers are doing plenty of heavy lifting once the ball is in their hands.
It’s a strategy that works in spurts, but it also underscores a lack of consistent deep passing. Most of those yards begin on shorter completions rather than long strikes downfield. Through three games, the Steelers have logged 1,158 total offensive yards on 201 plays, an average of 5.8 yards per snap, with 781 of those yards coming through the air. That efficiency looks solid on paper, but it hides the reality that explosive pass plays remain few and far between.
Critics, and even some within the fan base, have long pointed out that the Steelers rarely “push the sticks” vertically, instead relying on receivers to make magic after short completions. That reliance leaves them vulnerable against defenses prepared to smother the underneath game.
League-wide stats confirm the imbalance. While Pittsburgh ranks among the more aggressive teams in generating yards after the catch, its downfield passing totals and chunk-play numbers remain modest. The Steelers aren’t connecting on as many 20-plus-yard passes as the league’s more explosive offenses, and their vertical completion percentage hasn’t shown a dramatic jump. The result is an offense that can move the chains but struggles to impose fear in defensive backfields.
That’s why Austin’s words carry weight. He’s not just filling the air with clichés. Actually, he’s reflecting an internal understanding that Pittsburgh must add a vertical dimension. By landing more deep connections, the Steelers could force defenses to back off, open up space underneath, and turn their YAC-focused style into something less predictable. The opportunity is there, but execution will be the test. Austin has voiced the intent; now the question is whether the Steelers can deliver on Irish soil.