The first four games of the season have been anything but pretty for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though they sit at 2-2 on the season, there are major concerns with a team that had so much hype and anticipation coming into the year.
The offense can’t seem to do anything right: they can’t pass protection, certainly can’t run the ball consistently and the second-year quarterback has regressed heavily. Defensively, the Steelers can’t stop the run and when they aren’t generating consistent pressure the secondary simply can’t hold up well enough in coverage to negate the opponent’s passing attack.
For star defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, who is currently on Injured Reserve, everything is a process right now with a lot of new guys learning on the fly and growing. Appearing on Good Morning Football Thursday morning for his weekly segment, Heyward cited Hip-hop artist French Montana in his message regarding the Steelers: don’t panic.Â
“I listen to a lot of hip hop and for me, I look at French Montana just saying ‘don’t panic.’ We got a lot of guys that are learning on the fly, and a lot of guys who are just growing. We didn’t say it was gonna be perfect and we won’t apologize for that,” Heyward said to the Good Morning Football panel, according to video via NFL Network. “But we’re looking in the mirror. We understand we have to get better, and that’s everybody in the locker room, and for the younger guys it’s about understanding that and understanding you’re only guaranteed 17 games. And so four out the window, let’s see what we can do with the rest of them.”
It is just the first four games of the season and there are 13 more to go. However, what the Steelers have shown through the first four weeks of the season is quite concerning.
After all the hype in the offseason about an offense that was poised to take that next step under second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett with a rebuilt offensive line and a clear identity on offense with a power rushing attack, Pittsburgh has taken a step offensively this season — just in the wrong direction.
With the offense struggling, it’s put more pressure on the defense to be near perfect each week. Some weeks, they’ve been able to, like the 26-22 win over the Cleveland Browns in which the Steelers defense scored two touchdowns. Other weeks, not so much. The 30-7 loss to San Francisco and the 30-6 loss to Houston comes to mind there.
It’s not perfect, it’s not pretty, but fact is the Steelers a 2-2 and have a chance to move into first place in the AFC North on Sunday with a win over the Baltimore Ravens, as crazy as that sounds.
That would be quite the feat heading into the bye week with all the turbulence the Steelers have dealt with so far. They shouldn’t apologize for winning, but the improvements need to start showing up, and do so in a hurry.
