The Pittsburgh Steelers put forth a second straight embarrassing showing of the 2024 preseason on Saturday night, losing 9-3 to the Buffalo Bills. In a very similar manner to the 2023 season, the offense was extremely stagnant for the majority of the game. Russell Wilson made his debut for the Steelers, but it was a disappointing one as the offensive line couldn't buy him any time to throw. Justin Fields also found himself running for his life when he played later in the game.
Wilson alone was sacked three times on the five possessions that he played, while Fields was also sacked once. The offensive line was a glaring issue to anyone that was tuned into the contest, primarily with the starting group. Broderick Jones specifically had some serious problems as he was responsible for two of the three times that Wilson was sacked. Fields spoke to the media in the locker room following the game, and spoke about the issues that were seen up front.
"I think, we all know, they know, we have to do better up front. Coach T made that statement after the game. Like I said, there's room for all of us to get better, me included. So we're going to get back to work."
Usually when a player calls out teammates or a position group after a poor performance, it is viewed as a negative. This is the opposite. Head Coach Mike Tomlin had already addressed the offensive line play after the game and mentioned it was a major talking point when speaking to the team after the contest ended. Fields is leading his team and holding everyone accountable, including himself.
Pittsburgh's offensive line will likely look different at the start of the regular season. It seems that Zach Frazier has locked up the starting center spot as Nate Herbig is dealing with a potentially serious shoulder injury. Rookie Troy Fautanu is battling a minor knee injury which kept him out of Saturday's matchup, but it is expected that he will be ready to start at right tackle if needed when Week 1 rolls around. Jones will likely move back to his natural position at left tackle once Fautanu steps into the starting lineup.
In other words, the poor play that was seen from the starting offensive line hopefully isn't there as the personnel changes. Jones will likely improve once he moves back to the left side and recovers from his nagging arm injury which has required him to wear a brace. Frazier was the lone bright spot on the starting offense, and was the recipient of glowing compliments from Tomlin after the game.
It's understandable for there to be a lot of panic based off of how the starting unit performed on Saturday. However, it is still the preseason. There are clearly a lot of things to iron out, and hopefully things are fixed by the time the regular season kicks off.
Steelers' Preseason Performance Shouldn't Cause Too Much Worry
After the poor offensive performance that was seen from the Steelers on offense throughout the 2023 season, it's understandable for fans to overreact after what was seen throughout the first two preseason games. It's important to note that teams don't game plan for preseason games like they do for regular season contests. Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith will have better schemes and play calling once the meaningful games begin, and hopefully that is when things come together.
Pittsburgh was nearly perfect in the 2023 preseason as they went 3-0, but they weren't the same dominant force in the regular season. Struggling as much as they have in the 2024 preseason should be taken with a grain of salt. Once the meaningful games begin, Tomlin's teams usually find a way to win.
