Accountability has been the popular word being thrown around lately regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From players, coaches, media members and more, accountability — and a perceived lack thereof — has many questions swirling around the franchise.
For veteran center Mason Cole though, there isn’t all that much of an accountability issue, at least on the offensive side of the football after the change from offensive coordinator Matt Canada a month ago.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, Cole stated that players on the offensive side of the football are doing a good job of holding each other accountable, and that there is a lot of transparency in offensive meetings under interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner.
“Yeah, I think it’s across the board on the offense. I think the players are doing a really good job holding players accountable,” Cole said to reporters, according to video via Steelers Live on Twitter. “I think there’s a lot of transparency in our meetings and it’s just very transparent on who’s making mistakes and how we’re making mistakes.
“Yeah, so it’s just the players are doing a really good job holding each other accountable and we just gotta play better.”
Play better, it’s on the players, accountable, etcetera. Same talking points all season — the last two seasons for that matter — for the Steelers’ offense. Yet no real improvement.
The communication has improved offensively, that much is certain. A handful of players on the offensive side of the football have spoken highly of the improvement in communication offensively, but it seems a bit far-fetched that players are holding each other accountable, especially after the lack of effort from Diontae Johnson in Cincinnati and the sideline outbursts from George Pickens against the Patriots.
Those issues might be put out front and center from Faulkner in the offensive team meetings, but if nothing is being done about it besides truly pointing it out, is there actually accountability there? Seems unlikely.
Fact of the matter remains that the Steelers have to play better offensively, plain and simple. They’ve had largely just one complete, good game, and even then they scored just 16 points. Accountability only goes so far.
