PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s week two and the Steelers are 1-1, but there is growing frustration with an offense that’s scored two touchdowns. Even within the huddle.
“When everybody is ‘call this play, call that play’, it makes it tough just for everybody to do their jobs,” said Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky. “I think everybody just needs to worry about their job. We will just keep growing and going in the right direction together.”
Unlike the game in Cincinnati, there was no last-minute, game-saving drive. Nothing to smooth over some of the struggles on offense. Trubisky said they would get in the huddle and he was getting suggestions.
“Everybody wants the ball in their hands,” Trubisky said. “I want the ball in my hands. We have a bunch of talent and we just have to figure out what works best for us going forward. I think today, you look more at the missed opportunities, than what we didn’t do.”
Trubisky acknowledged he needs to get the ball to George Pickens, for example (one catch for 23 yards). Often the reason he goes where he goes is dictated by the defense. Trubisky said he saw a lot of post-high safety roaming in the middle of the field and throwing outside was the better option.
“I can’t really say what it is,” said Pro Bowl receiver Diontae Johnson. “We just have to start fast and come out and execute better. Come off the ball with a purpose. When we are doing that (we are good). (When) we are playing catch-up. It’s hard to come back from that.”
“It’s frustrating at times because we know what we are capable of doing. It’s like ‘what is it?’ We are trying to figure out what it is. I’m sure we are going to get it.”
“I’d probably say details,” said guard James Daniels as to their issues. “Usually that’s how it goes, we got to be more details. As a whole, coaches, players and our preparation in practice. We have to be more detailed. To start a game fast is huge. When you start a game fast, it opens up everything.”
“We have to do stuff we are comfortable with and do stuff with more consistency in practice,” said tight end Pat Freiermuth, who caught the touchdown pass. “We are good with certain things and we need to get to those faster.”
When they operated faster, they had success. Their touchdown drive they went mostly no huddle and were clicking going 75 yards in nine plays in under three minutes.
“We were catching them off-guard,” Daniels said. “They were tired. If we are going pace, we just have to understand they may be tired. Focus on our details and try to benefit of them not being set and being able to make calls.”
“We’ve shown even last year and into this year in the preseason, when we go tempo and two-minute, that’s when we are really going,” Freiermuth said. “I think we can sprinkle in a little more tempo in each drive to get us going.”
The players aren’t questioning the game plan specifically. However, you can see the frustration and they often talk around blaming the offensive coordinator for their issues. Trubisky said they can’t control the play-calling, just do their job and it will get better.
“You have to stick to the plan,” Trubisky said. “Everybody has an idea of what the offense should or could be. We got to come together as a collective unit and everybody has to keep buying in. There’s going to be good plays, there’s going to be bad plays. We are a young offense and we are still growing in this thing together. The best thing you could do at this time is to buy into the plan whatever it is.”
Trubisky was a part of some frustrating offenses starting in Chicago. While Trubisky could have been better with the Bears, there were questions about the play-calling there. His teammate in Chicago is now the Steelers starting guard and offered a cautionary tale.
“I look back at Chicago,” Daniels said. “We had so many games just like this where our defense was lights out and our offense couldn’t get it done. Yes, it’s frustrating. You know Chicago, we weren’t very successful on offense. Hopefully we are going to be good, just keep on improving and things will change.”
“We can be better with everything,” Trubisky said. “I can be better with decision making. We had some missed opportunities. I had some missed throws. We had a couple we weren’t on the same page. Bottom line, we have to score more points.”
“We are going to get there,” Johnson said. “You see those plays and there are misses down the field. We go on the sideline and talk about it. We talk about what we missed. We will be fine.”
“You got to tell guys to buy in, be patient and focus on your job,” Trubisky said as captain. “That’s what you have to do as a leader, keep guys on track. If guys just do their jobs, we will be better as an offense.”
Mike Tomlin said there wasn’t enough splash with their offense. It’s barely been a ripple with a second division game coming up on Thursday night.