As the Pittsburgh Steelers navigate their preseason schedule, concerns regarding their offensive performance have become impossible to ignore. Through two preseason games, the Steelers' offense has only managed to score 15 points, a fact that casts a looming shadow over their preparations for the regular season.
Saturday night's 9-3 loss further highlighted these offensive woes. Of the 15 points scored across the games, a meager three were achieved with quarterback Justin Fields on the field. Persistent issues with pass protection have prevented Fields from establishing a consistent offensive rhythm, a problem that head coach Mike Tomlin has emphasized.
"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," Tomlin stated post-game. "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."
Indeed, Russell Wilson's five series against the Buffalo Bills starkly illustrated this challenge. Despite his efforts, Wilson was unable to orchestrate a single scoring drive and was sacked three times, underscoring the frailties in the offensive line's pass protection.
Tomlin did not shy away from highlighting this critical issue. "We've got to do a better job in pass protection than we did — not only in possession downs but just in general," he said. "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."
The inexperience of certain key players exacerbated these issues. Greg Rousseau from the Buffalo Bills exploited rookie Broderick Jones, who was moved to right tackle for the game. Justin Fields was sacked once during his time on the field, making it clear that the line's protection deficiencies are a major hurdle.
The injuries have further complicated the situation. Veteran center/guard Nate Herbig's potential season-long absence due to a torn rotator and the injury sidelining rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu have left the Steelers' offensive line in a precarious state.
With the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions looming, Tomlin will be scrutinizing the offensive line's performance closely. The head coach's decision on which quarterback will start in Pittsburgh's final preseason game could hinge significantly on the line's ability to protect the passer.
As the Steelers work to iron out these critical issues, the spotlight will remain fixed on how effectively they can address these pass protection challenges. The upcoming game will provide another opportunity to build the much-needed cohesion and rhythm that has so far eluded them this preseason.