As the Pittsburgh Steelers forge ahead into their preseason schedule, the struggles on offense have become a glaring issue. Over the course of two preseason games, the Steelers' offense has managed to score a mere 15 points, highlighting a concerning inefficiency on the offensive side of the ball.
The team's recent 9-3 loss on Saturday night underscores these challenges. Alarmingly, only three of those 15 points came with Justin Fields on the field. Persistent issues in pass protection hindered Fields' ability to establish any sort of consistent offensive rhythm. "It's somewhat of an incomplete study because you just don't get a chance to see them operate or us operate or us establish rhythm and personality when you're not winning possession downs," noted head coach Mike Tomlin.
Russell Wilson, who was expected to lead the team’s offensive charge, was similarly stymied. Across five series against the Buffalo Bills, Wilson was unable to orchestrate a single scoring drive and was sacked three times. Tomlin emphasized the detrimental impact of inadequate pass protection, stating, "We've got to do a better job in pass protection than we did -- not only in possession downs but just in general."
The recurring theme of the game was the inability to sustain drives, with Tomlin pointing out that the first three series ended in three and outs. "And we weren't. The first three or so series of the game, it was three and out, and you're not going to get an opportunity to establish rhythm or play the way you'd like as an individual or a collective," Tomlin explained.
The offensive line's struggles were particularly evident with Greg Rousseau from the Bills exploiting the inexperience of Broderick Jones, who was moved to right tackle for the game. Justin Fields also felt the pressure, being sacked once during his time on the field. Unfortunately, the situation is exacerbated by injuries to key players. Veteran center/guard Nate Herbig is potentially out for the season due to a torn rotator, and rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu is also currently sidelined with an injury.
Tomlin expressed candid feedback following the game, stating, "I was really upfront with the group about it in that regard, that can't be a problem for us. We've got to be better than we were tonight in that area." His comments underscore the urgency with which the team must address these issues before the regular season begins.
With the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions on the horizon, Tomlin will be closely monitoring the offensive line performances as he decides which quarterback will start in Pittsburgh's final preseason game. The offensive line’s ability to protect the quarterback will be crucial if the Steelers hope to find offensive consistency in the regular season and beyond.