Steelers fans thought they'd already seen the worst from their team's offense in the last couple of years.
Through two preseason games, they haven't seen many signs things are going to improve under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in 2024.
Pittsburgh's 9-3 Week 2 preseason loss to Buffalo -- in which the Steelers finished with 219 total yards of offense and punted on their first four possessions -- has caused some in the Steel City to shift uncomfortably in their seats as they consider what might be ahead for their team.
Smith isn't overreacting, at least not yet. He believes their struggles have simply been a product of the unpredictable environment that is the preseason.
"We need to evaluate (players), and so sometimes it can get distorted, good or bad," Smith said, . "Preseason could distort reality, good or bad. We've all seen it."
This preseason meant a lot to Steelers fans because of the changes the team underwent in the quarterbacks room. Out went Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, and in came Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, setting up an on-paper competition that hasn't entirely materialized during the summer.
Because of the Steelers' struggles in Week 2, though, it has gotten closer, at least to those scanning the stat sheet. Fields saw much more playing time in the loss to the Bills, and thus, he accounted for more of the Steelers' total offense (92 passing yards and 42 rushing yards).
The tape doesn't quite line up with the assumption that Fields has narrowed the gap, though. Sure, there were good moments for Fields, but there were also plenty of disappointing instances -- such as when he made the wrong decision on a fourth-down read option and ran into a wall of Bills defenders for a turnover on downs -- in which he failed to produce proof of his viability as a starter.
Wilson, meanwhile, didn't show much of anything good during his time on the field, as he was forced to operate behind an inexperienced and reshuffled line (due to Troy Fautanu's inability to suit up). Wilson finished with a passing line of 8 for 10 for 47 yards, with most of those gains coming on checkdowns.
In total, the Steelers' offense lacked punch. It wasn't as uninspired as it was under former OC (and frequent focus of fans' ire) Matt Canada, but it left plenty to be desired. Through two games, the starting unit hasn't scored a single point.
Smith knows the regular season isn't far away, and his team certainly doesn't look ready to hit the ground running. He's asking for patience, though, because it is still only the preseason.
"You know that's not their standard, and that's not acceptable, but at the same time, you'd rather go through that now than have that happen Week 1," said Smith, whose offense has produced just 15 total points in the preseason. "There's a lot going on there. We've had a really good camp, but the reality is, when we've got in there in the lights, we found a way to — and this is taking nothing away from the other defense — but we got to get out of our own way. Those are the things we have to clean up."
Preseason isn't exactly a great predictor of things to come. In 2017, the Cleveland Browns finished a perfect 4-0 in the preseason, then became just the second team in NFL history to finish with an 0-16 record. And just last year, the Steelers went a perfect 5 for 5 on offensive possessions with their starters, then struggled so frequently in the regular season, it cost Canada his job.
It would be rash to jump to great conclusions over preseason performances. But in a pivotal year for the Steelers, the early signs aren't positive. Smith is hoping to work out the kinks before long.
