Cheat Sheet: Week 1 vs. Jets

SERIES HISTORY

The first game between these two teams took place in November of 1970, with Pittsburgh prevailing in that matchup. That began a nine-game winning streak for Pittsburgh against the Jets, who finally got their first victory over the Steelers in 1988. After falling to New York in 1988, the Steelers went on another winning streak. This time it was a five-game winning streak, so Pittsburgh won 14 of the first 15 meetings between the two teams. The most recent matchup between the Jets and Steelers took place last season, with Pittsburgh winning 37-15.

Overall, Pittsburgh leads this series 21-7, including their two postseason matchups. The Steelers won both of those playoff games against New York, including the AFC Championship game following the 2010 season. That was last time the Jets went to the postseason. The Steelers have lost their last two games in New York vs. the Jets, but their 22-point victory over the Jets last year was their highest margin of victory all year.

MATCHUP OVERVIEW

• The Jets were 3-5 at home last year and were outscored by 66 points for the season. Pittsburgh was 5-4 on the road and finished the season with a +33-point differential despite losing their final four regular season games by a combined 52 points. New York only won three of their final 14 games.
• The Steelers went 8-0 when allowing 18 points or fewer in 2024 and 2-8 when they allowed 19 or more.
• Over the past five years, Pittsburgh is 4-1 in Week 1 while New York is 1-4. Pittsburgh is 11-6-1 (.639) under Mike Tomlin is season openers, sixth best in the league over that span. That includes a 7-1-1 record as a favorite, third in the league over that period.
• The Steelers have won double digit games in each of the past two seasons, despite leading at halftime in less than half of their games, but that hasn't happened since 2000. Last year, they led at halftime in just five games. Pittsburgh was 5-0 when leading at the half in 2024 and 5-0 when leading at the half in 2023.
• There have been 61 teams win 10 or more games over the past five years. Of those 61 teams, Pittsburgh's offense over the past two years ranks 59^th and 60^th in yards per play.
• Since 2015, the Jets have 30 games with zero offensive touchdowns. Not only is that most in the league, no other team has more than 19. Pittsburgh has seven such games. Only the Packers (four) and Eagles (three) have fewer.
• The Steelers are 15-6 in one score games over the past two seasons. That is the third highest such win percentage (.714) over that time. Only the Chiefs and Eagles are better.
• Pittsburgh had the NFL's worst first quarter scoring differential (-3.9). They averaged 2.7 points (29^th) and allowed 6.6 points (32^nd) in the first quarter of games last season. The Steelers 112 first quarter points allowed was 13 more than 31^st place Dallas.
• Pittsburgh's first half point differential was -27 compared to +60 in the second half of games. They were +68 in just the third quarter of 2024 games.
• The Steelers were +9 in explosive play differential. The Jets were +2.
• The Steelers were -9 in sack differential. The Jets were +3.
• The Jets and Steelers are two of 12 teams with a new projected starting quarterback in 2025.
• Aaron Rodgers is 1,137 yards shy of passing Ben Roethlisberger for fifth most passing yards in NFL history. He is also six touchdown passes shy of passing Brett Favre for fourth most passing touchdowns all-time. Rodgers is one of just five passers to throw 500 career touchdown passes.
• There has only been one quarterback in NFL history that has started 10+ games at age 42 or older: Tom Brady. Rodgers turns 42 years old in December.
• Justin Fields lost just one fewer game than Rodgers last season despite starting six games, compared to 17 starts by Rodgers for New York.
• Over the past five years, the Steelers are 38-10 (.792) when they do not throw an interception. Rodgers has the lowest interception rate in NFL history.
• The Bills (+24) were the only team with a better turnover differential than Pittsburgh (+16). The Jets finished at -2. The Steelers 33 takeaways tied Minnesota for the league lead. Only the Vikings and Texans had more than Pittsburgh's 17 interceptions. New York's seven interceptions were only more than three teams. The Steelers and Bills tied for the league in fumble recoveries with 16. The Jets recovered 10, only six teams had more. Only the Chargers and Ravens threw fewer interceptions than Pittsburgh (six), but the Steelers 11 fumbles lost were only less than five teams. Pittsburgh had 12 games with multiple takeaways in 2024, most in the NFL.
• The Steelers -9 sack differential was only better than six teams.
• Pittsburgh's opponents committed 125 penalties compared to just 102 by the Steelers in 2024. The Jets were the NFL's most penalized team (137) in the NFL.
• 2% of the Jets targets were deemed a drop, the highest percentage in the league last year. Pittsburgh was at 4.3%, the sixth highest.
• Of the 46 quarterbacks that attempted 100 or more passes, Justin Fields' average time to throw (3.15) was the third highest. Aaron Rodgers' 2.71 seconds average time to throw was the 14^th Over the past four years, Rodgers averages 2.58 seconds.
• Amongst the 85 wide receivers with 50 or more targets, Garrett Wilson ranked 29^th in first downs or touchdowns per route run (.098) while DK Metcalf ranked 64^th (.070).
• Pittsburgh attempted the fourth most passes of 20+ yards last season. The Steelers defense faced the fewest of such passes in the NFL.
• The Jets were trailing on the scoreboard for 52.7% of their offensive snaps last year, 12th highest in the league. Pittsburgh was at 51.6%, 13^th
• The 2025 Steelers will begin the season without their leading passer, rusher, and receiver from the previous season. This has only occurred 13 other times in the Super Bowl era. Of those 13 teams, they went on to average a .364 record the following year. However, of the 14 teams (including Pittsburgh), this Steelers team was only one of three that had a winning season the previous year.
• The 2025 Jets will begin the season with a new general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and starting quarterback.
• The Steelers have the second most regular season wins (255) since 2000, behind only New England. The Jets 173 regular season wins during that span is only ahead of seven franchises. During that stretch, Pittsburgh's 15 playoff wins are only behind the Patriots, Eagles, Chiefs, and Ravens. The Jets six playoff wins are only ahead of 13 franchises.
• The Steelers haven't had a losing season since 2003 and have made the playoffs eight times since 2014, second most.
• Over the last decade, Pittsburgh has started nine quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Michael Vick, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson. Only Trubisky has a losing record as a starter.
• Since Tomlin took over in 2007, only the Patriots and Packers have won more games than Pittsburgh. Only Baltimore, Kansas City, and New England have played in more playoff games amongst AFC teams.

WHEN PITTSBURGH HAS THE BALL

• The Steelers averaged 5.1 yards per play, ahead of only seven offenses. The Eagles were the only defense that allowed less than New York's 5.0 yards per play.
• Pittsburgh threw the ball 51.7% of their snaps. Only the Eagles, Ravens, Packers, and Bills threw it a lower percentage of the time. On first downs, only two offenses ran the ball a higher percentage of the time than Pittsburgh and only three teams ran it a higher percentage on second downs.
• Pittsburgh failed to score a touchdown on any of their 17 opening drives last year. On their opening drives, the Steelers averaged just 22 yards. Only the Patriots and Bears were worse. If you go six years back, the Steelers have played 100 football games. They are 32^nd during that time with just 10 opening drive touchdowns. Six teams have 30+ such touchdowns and no other team has fewer than 14.
• The Steelers averaged 4.5 yards per play on first downs in 2024, last in the league. The Jets allowed a league-low 4.3 yards per play on first downs.
• Only three offenses had fewer than the Steelers 20 70+ yard touchdown drives last year.
• 1% of Pittsburgh's scoring plays were touchdowns, 30^th in the league.
• Only the Packers (22) had more completions last year of 25+ air yards than the Steelers (20).
• Over Rodgers final 10 games with the Jets, he threw 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions. However, he still only posted 6.8 yards per attempt over that span. He finished the season with 28 touchdown passes, seventh most in the NFL.
• Rodgers was knocked down (sacks + hits) 101 times last year. Only seven quarterbacks were knocked down more.
• The Steelers quarterbacks averaged 34.6 dropbacks per game last year, which is identical to Rodgers in his final season in Green Bay.
• Metcalf's 2024 19.7% target rate per route run was the lowest of his career. Among 103 qualified receivers, Metcalf ranked eighth in deep target rate with 31.5% of his targets traveling at least 20 yards through the air. He has 48 receiving touchdowns in six NFL seasons and has 13 career receptions of 50+ yards. Darius Slayton was the only wide receiver that received a higher percentage of his targets on the outside rather than in the slot than Metcalf (92%). Metcalf has eclipsed 900 receiving yards in each of his six seasons in Seattle.
• Metcalf and Randy Moss are the only two players in NFL history to have 900+ receiving yards and five or more receiving touchdowns in each of their first six seasons in the league.
• 9% of Calvin Austin's receptions went for at least 30 yards, the sixth highest percentage amongst wide receivers. 27.8% went for at least 20 yards, eighth highest.
• Austin has averaged 1.51 yards per route run when aligned outside compared to .93 out of the slot over the course of his career. Austin's routes run per game spiked to 22.2 in 2024 compared to 13.4 in 2023.
• Pittsburgh only threw 229 passes to the wide receiver position last year. That was the lowest in the league.
• Since 2022 (51 regular season games), the Steelers have just 46 passing touchdowns. That is lowest in the NFL. In Rodgers last 51 games, he has thrown 91 touchdown passes.
• On just first and second downs, the Steelers were last in wide receiver target percentage (39%) but second in running back target percentage (26%).
• With Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator or head coach, the most targets a wide receiver has gotten in a single season is Drake London in 2022 with 117.
• The Steelers utilized two or more tight ends on the field at the NFL's sixth highest rate in 2024 and only one offense used 13 Personnel at a higher rate.
• Pittsburgh completed 79.3% of their pass attempts to tight ends, fourth best. The Steelers 10 receiving touchdowns by tight ends was the second most in the NFL.
• Last year, Pat Freiermuth was targeted on 17.5% of his routes, 28^th amongst all tight ends with at least 100 routes run. His 65 receptions last year were only behind seven tight ends despite being 14^th in tight end targets. He has yet to average 4.0 receptions per game through his four NFL seasons. 83% of Freiermuth's targets were completed. Freiermuth was the fastest tight end in Steelers history to reach 100 receptions. Freiermuth has one 100 yard receiving game in his career.
• 74% of Freiermuth's targets came when he was aligned in the slot or out wide, only Mike Gesicki and Mark Andrews were higher. Only 23% of Darnell Washington's targets came when aligned in the slot or out wide. Only Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt were lower.
• Jonnu Smith's 88 receptions were fourth amongst tight ends in 2024. He created a first down or touchdown on 49.1% of his targets, 11^th best amongst all pass catchers. Smith averaged 26.7 routes per game in Miami, by far the most of his career. He also averaged 1.95 yards per route run. Smith had a 19.5% target share, second on the team, in 2024. Over the past four seasons combined amongst all tight ends that have run at least 600 routes, Smith's 24.9% targets per route run ranks first.
• Smith was sixth amongst all tight ends and 20^th amongst all qualified pass catchers in yards produced after the catch per reception last year. The Steelers collective tight room ranked 25^th of 32 teams in yards after the catch per reception and the Steelers as a team were 17^th.
• Across all of Arthur Smith's stops in the NFL, no tight end has played more than 75% of his team's snaps.
• Combining the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, amongst the 48 qualified running backs, Jaylen Warren ranks sixth in yards per carry (4.8), sixth in yards after contact per carry (3.4), first in tackles avoided per carry (29.6%), sixth in explosive run rate (9.5%), seventh in yards per route run (1.4), and fifth in targets per route run (24.1%). Warren averages 5.4 yards per touch over his career and over 5.0 yards per touch in every season of his career. Aaron Jones and James Cook are the only other two running backs to average over 5.0 yards per touch in each of the past three years. But Warren has only scored six touchdowns in his three NFL seasons.
• Over the last three seasons combined, Rodgers has targeted running backs on 20.9% of his pass attempts. That ranks second behind Russell Wilson (26.1%).
• Pittsburgh's running backs only had one receiving touchdown last year.
• The Steelers allowed an 8.9% sack rate in 2024. Only four offenses were worse.
• During Glenn's time with Detroit, his defenses ranked sixth in the league in blitz rate (30.5%).
• When blitzed last year, Rodgers completed 61.4% of his passes (21^st) for 5.8 yards per attempt (32^nd).
• In Rodgers' most recent opening day starts in which he finished the entire game, he has averaged just 165 passing yards.
• The running back position only averaged 4.1 yards per carry against New York (fifth best) and just .88 yards before contact (second best).
• Pittsburgh's red zone offense ranked 29^th in 2024.
• 36% of drives against New York reached the red zone. Only one defense had a higher percentage.
• Two of the three top receivers in red zone targets a year ago George Pickens (16), Freiermuth (14), Van Jefferson (8) are no longer with the Steelers. Of the Steelers top four in red zone rushing attempts Najee Harris (51), Warren (17), Fields (17), and Wilson (10), only one is still with the team.
• The Steelers ran 253 plays on third down, sixth highest in the league in 2024.
• Pittsburgh offense was the league's number one beneficiary of roughing the passer penalties.
• Only the Bills and Packers offenses started drives with better starting field position than the Steelers.
• Ahmad Gardner committed 10 penalties (one declined) last year compared to seven over the previous two seasons.
• Brandon Stephens allowed 54 first downs/touchdowns as well as 1005 total passing yards, both worst in the league last year for the Ravens.

WHEN NEW YORK HAS THE BALL

• The Jets averaged 5.2 yards per play, ahead of only 11 offenses. Pittsburgh's defense allowed 5.4 yards per play.
• The Jets threw the ball at a 64.1% clip. Only the Browns, Bengals, and Raiders threw the ball at a higher percentage. New York had the league's fewest rushing attempts (363) in 2024.
• Pittsburgh's defense forced a three and out on 35% of their drives, fourth best.
• Fields has yet to eclipse 17 passing touchdowns in a single season or average 200 passing yards per game in any of his four NFL seasons.
• Fields completed a career high 65.8% of his passes with Pittsburgh last season, but a career low 7.8 yards per pass attempt.
• Fields has never thrown the ball more than 40 times in a single game. Rodgers did that for the Jets last year three times alone.
• Since entering the league, Fields' teams have a 54.1% dropback rate with him in the game.
• Fields is the only quarterback since 1950 to improve in completion percentage, interception percentage, and passer rating in each of his first four seasons in the league.
• 48% of Fields' throws last year came three seconds or longer after the ball was snapped. That was the highest percentage in the league. Of 38 qualifying quarterbacks, Fields time to throw over the past four years is the highest.
• There have been 127 quarterbacks since 2000 with at least 400 passing attempts in their first four seasons. Fields ranks 125^th in sack plus interception rate (14%) and 126^th in sack rate (12%). He was sacked 16 times on 196 dropbacks last year.
• Garrett Wilson has yet to miss an NFL game, and his reception production has increased in each of his three seasons and has surpassed 80 catches and 1,000 receiving yards every year in the league. He has caught passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco, Chris Streveler, Trevor Siemian, Tim Boyle, Tyrod Taylor, and Rodgers in his three-year career. Last year with Rodgers as his quarterback, Wilson had a career-high 65.6% catch rate and matched his touchdown total from the previous two seasons combined. Wilson's 101 receptions in 2024 were only behind Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Malik Nabors. Wilson (26.1%) was one of 10 NFL wide receivers to garner more than a 25% target share. He was ninth. Wilson has the fourth most targets amongst wide receivers over the last three seasons. Wilson is averaging .25 targets per route run over the past two seasons, tied with Ja'Marr chase for most in the league.
• The only players remaining on the Jets roster with 30+ targets from last year are Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Breece Hall.
• New York only got 601 receiving yards (seventh fewest) from the tight end position in 2024.
• The Steelers allowed 139 receptions for 2,003 yards to receivers aligned in the slot, ninth best. But the 14.4 yards per catch was last in the NFL. That also amounted to 51.7% of the total passing yards Pittsburgh allowed. 10 of the 23 passing touchdowns Pittsburgh allowed last year were to receivers aligned in the slot.
• Steelers opponents threw over the middle of the field at a 26% clip. That was the second highest rate behind the Packers. However, that 26% was still lower than 2021, 2022, and 2023 for Pittsburgh's defense.
• Only four quarterbacks have targeted the running back position at a higher rate over the past three seasons combined than Fields (19.2%).
• Breece Hall ran 24 routes per game last year, the most amongst all running backs.
• No running back playing with Fields over his career has averaged more than 3.1 targets (Najee Harris) per game.
• No defense brought three pass-rushers at a lower percentage (1%) than Pittsburgh, but the Steelers brought six or more rushers (9%) at the league's third highest rate.
• J. Watt was only behind Zach Allen and George Karlaftis in quarterback hits. The Steelers were second in the league in quarterback hits. Only Allen and Trey Hendrickson had more quarterback knockdowns (sacks +hits) than Watt. Watt averages .89 sacks per game over his career, best in NFL history amongst players with 50+ games played. Since 2018, Watt has sustained a 22.9% pressure-to-sack rate, the highest of any player with at least 100 pressures over that span. Watt aligned on the left edge of the defense on 94.7% of his snaps last season.
• Watt led the NFL with nine forced fumbles last season. Zach Baun was second with six while Nick Herbig was tied for third with four.
• Cameron Heyward led the NFL in batted passes at the line of scrimmage with 10. No one else had more than seven. The Steelers lead the NFL with 24 batted passes. Heyward was also the only player in the league last season with 10+ pass defenses and 10+ tackles for loss.
• The running back position averaged 4.1 yards per carry (8^th best) against the Steelers and they forced a negative run on 19.9% of rush attempts by this position, also eighth best. Pittsburgh also finished third best in average yards allowed after contact to running backs (2.7 yards).
• New York's running backs ran for 10 or more yards on 11.8% of their carries, seventh highest in the league.
• The Jets generated just 1.18 rushing yards before contact, 28^th in the NFL.
• Breece Hall is one of only nine running backs, including former Steeler LeVeon Bell, since 2008 to hit 200+ carries and 75+ targets in back-to-back seasons. However, Hall's yards per carry dropped from 5.8 in 2022 to 4.5 to 4.2 and his yards per touch dropped from 6.9 to 5.3 to 5.1 in 2024. Hall's cumulative 3.4 yards after first contact is the best amongst all running backs over the past three seasons combined. He also fumbled six times last year. Hall has only 14 rushing touchdowns in 40 career games and is in search of his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
• Fields had 19 rushing touchdowns through four seasons with 12 of them coming from five yards out or closer. In 2022 with Chicago, Fields led all quarterbacks with 1,143 rushing yards-379 more than the second-place finisher. He scrambled on 9.7% of his dropbacks last year for the Steelers, only behind Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. Amongst quarterbacks over the past four seasons with at least 2,500 snaps, Fields ranks first in scramble yards per game (31.3) and scramble touchdowns per game (.26). Along with Lamar Jackson and Daniels, Fields is only one of three quarterbacks in history to average 50+ rushing yards per game.
• The Steelers were the league's third most run-heavy in Fields' starts in 2024 and the Bears were the sixth most run-heavy in his starts in 2023.
• Patrick Queen is one of three players, along with Lavonte David and Foyesade Oluokun, to record 100+ tackles, 5+ tackles for loss, and 5+ passes defensed in each of the past three seasons. Queen led the defense with 1,090 snaps played in 2024.
• With Heyward on the field, the Steelers allowed just 3.7 yards per rush attempt. With Heyward off the field, Pittsburgh surrendered 5.1 yards per carry. 3.7 per carry allowed would have only been behind Baltimore (3.6) last year while 5.1 allowed would have only been better than Carolina (5.2).
• Only two defenses created more false start penalties by their opponents than the Steelers. They were also third in generating offensive holding calls.
• Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay are the only cornerbacks with five or more Pro Bowl selections since 2017. They also rank first (Slay with 161) and second (Ramsey with 108) in passes defensed amongst players currently on an active roster.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Jets made just 71.4% of their field goals last year. Only the Browns and Falcons were worse. Pittsburgh made 93.2% of their attempts. Only the Buccaneers were better.
• The Steelers three combined blocked field goals or extra points were the most in the NFL.
• Pittsburgh's punt coverage was the best in the league in 2024. They allowed zero returns over 30 yards and caused four fumbles. Pittsburgh's punt coverage also didn't allow a single punt return to get inside their 40-yard line.
• Miles Killebrew had 13 combined special teams tackles and assists. Only five players had more. James Pierre had 11, tied for ninth most.

Most Memorable Moment: January 23^rd, 2011: AFC Championship Game: Steelers 24, Jets 19, Heinz Field (Now Acrisure Stadium)

This home victory propelled the Steelers to Super Bowl XLV. New York was the sixth seed in the playoffs. They knocked off the Colts in Indianapolis by one point and then New England, the top seed, by a touchdown to advance. The Jets eliminated Peyton Manning and Tom Brady before finally falling to a Ben Roethlisberger-led team that had beaten the Ravens the previous week. Pittsburgh jumped all over the Jets and quickly took a 24-0 lead. At halftime the Steelers led, 24-3, but New York scored on the first drive of the half. While it got interesting down the stretch, the Steelers held on to win on the back of their running game. The Jets haven't played in a playoff game since.

KEY MATCHUPS

Jets Offensive Tackles vs. Steelers Edge Rushers-Like the Steelers in 2023 and 2024, New York went back-to-back draft classes selecting an offensive tackle in the first round, taking Armond Membou with the seventh overall pick this year and Olumuyiwa Fashanu 11^th overall the previous draft. Those talented young tackles will have a very steep test in Week 1.

Steelers WR DK Metcalf vs. Jets CB Sauce Gardner-If judging off how New York's new head coach called defense for the Lions, the Steelers should expect a very high percentage of man-to-man coverage…and the Jets just gave Gardner a big new contract. New York could decide to match Gardner up against Metcalf, Pittsburgh's clear top wide out, a high percentage of snaps in this contest.