After making so many changes this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense was supposed to be much improved this year. Through two preseason games, that has not been the case at all. The starting offense has failed to score, and while that should be taken with a grain of salt because it is the preseason, it far from ideal.
Just ask Tony Dungy.
During an appearance on NBC Sports’ Football Night in America podcast Thursday, the former NFL head coach and Super Bowl champion was asked what he thinks has been the biggest disappointment in the preseason.
“It’s definitely been the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense,” Dungy said. “You’ve a couple of new quarterbacks in there. If they can mesh and get it going with the defense that they have, they can be a contender for a playoff spot. This first-team offense hasn’t scored in the entire preseason. What’s going on there?”
Dungy’s criticism is fair. In the first game, Justin Fields seemed to be making plays, but a pair of fumbled snaps ended anything before it ever began. In the second game, it just seemed like there was no rhythm. Russell Wilson didn’t have the full offense available to him though, so perhaps that had something to do with his struggles.
There shouldn’t be any excuses though. It’s the NFL, and things are never going to be perfect. That doesn’t mean the Steelers shouldn’t be able to score any points. They’ve got a new play caller, new quarterbacks, and a revamped offensive line. They should be able to put something together.
Dungy is also correct when he says that the Steelers can be a playoff team if they can field a competent offense. They have one of the NFL’s best defenses, so if their offense can be average, they should be able to win games.
There is no one answer to what’s wrong with the offense either. It’s probably a combination of things like shaking off rust, new teammates beginning to jell, and rookies getting their first taste of NFL action. If the Steelers want people to stop talking about how bad they look offensively, they need to put in a good performance in the final preseason game Saturday in Detroit. Otherwise, the outside noise will only get louder.
