For Colin Cowherd, the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense could look a lot like the 2023 version. And the 2022 version. And th-, you get the idea.
Weighing in on the team’s opener against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, Cowherd thinks things go quickly go down the drain.
“This is a bad o-line, missing a starter who’s out for a while,” Cowherd said on The Herd radio show. “There’s a way Pittsburgh could lose, and it would be fine, but if they can’t move the chains, that thing could get ugly really fast.”
Pittsburgh is counting on an improved offense getting the team over the hump. Last year, they bottomed out as the 28th scoring unit even after Mason Rudolph led multiple 30-point performances to close the season. The Steelers reinvested in their offensive line in the draft, selecting a guard, tackle, and center among their first five selections, and swapped out the quarterback room with all new faces.
The Steelers seemed to be on solid ground until yesterday when QB1 Russell Wilson showed up on the injury report with a calf injury, putting his status in question for the weekend. Though he practiced in limited capacity Friday, it’s not clear if he or Justin Fields will take the first snap against the Falcons.
Cowherd, as he’s said all offseason, sees trouble.
“Russell Wilson’s 35. He got injured during a conditioning test for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he hasn’t been healthy since,” he said. “So he was hyper-athletic at his best. He’s not that. He’s banged up.”
To be clear, Wilson recovered from his camp calf injury and looked healthy during his two preseason performances. There’s no indication his first calf injury or this current one is serious, though at his age, any soft tissue injury is concerning. Determining his status will come down to Wilson’s ability to execute the game plan and any risk to his health if he plays through the calf strain.
In a potent division and facing a tough schedule, the Steelers’ offense will need to score points. Pittsburgh will still be led by its stout and tough defense, a unit Cowherd has criticized the front office for spending too much money on, but the Steelers won’t compete if they keep scoring 18 points per game. With or without Wilson, Sunday will be their first test.
