The Pittsburgh Steelers were not expecting to start the season 0-2. Everyone was returning healthy, offense coordinator Todd Haley was adjusting to the ways of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and expectations were high. However, the offense only managed 19 points in two weeks and now head coach Mike Tomlin is calling people out.
While the Steelers defense has been on point to start the year off, the offense does not look to be on the same page. Injuries at the tight end and running back position have certainly put the Steelers back a few steps, but Tomlin insists that it is time for players to start stepping up.
"The most significant reason we're 0-2 is we're not scoring enough points," Tomlin said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Nineteen points in two football games is not going to win a lot of football in this league. If you would have told me we'd score 19 points through the first two ball games I would have told you we'd have an opportunity to 0-2. We understand that and we are working hard to rectify that."
The first person to receive the wrath of Tomlin was newly signed running back Felix Jones. As the team waits for rookie Le'Veon Bell to heal from a sprained foot, Jones is getting an increased amount of playing time. He turned 36 offensive snaps into 37 yards on 10 carries. In the first two games, the Steelers managed just 44 yards and 75 yards respectively. After claiming the ground game would be a focus in 2013, those numbers are not impressive.
"The running game was below the line," Tomlin said. "But I was encouraged by Felix Jones and what he'll be able to do moving forward. He knew when to bounce it and when to put his foot in the ground and get vertical. There were some things we can build upon."
The offense runs through Roethlisberger, but without top targets like Heath Miller, everyone has been struggling. Miller is expected to return for Week 3, but his playing time might be limited. Tomlin insists the team is not hitting the panic button, but on Monday night, frustrations appeared to spill over onto the field as Haley and wide receiver Antonio Brown had a confrontation on the sidelines.
According to Ed Bouchette of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Brown confronted Haley during the second half, complaining he was not getting the ball enough. While there is no video footage of the reported incident, the two are apparently still not on the same page. Brown was only targeted three times in the first half and six times in the second.
The slow start for the Steelers will likely turn around as players get healthy again. However, it is not a good sign that Haley still does not have the trust of his players. Time will tell if he can turn that around.
