The Pittsburgh Steelers are adjusting to life without their former head coach, Mike Tomlin. In the early games of the season, the team has shown mixed results. Following a straightforward win against the Atlanta Falcons in the opening game, the Steelers faltered in their second week with a significant 20-3 defeat by the New England Patriots.
The Steelers’ offense struggled in this matchup, managing only 235 total yards. Running back Jaylen Warren stood out as the sole player with over 44 yards. The team’s offensive inefficiency drew a sharp critique from Tomlin during NBC’s “Football Night in America.”
“From my perspective, they don’t have a place to hang their hat,” Tomlin stated. “They haven’t established the run, they’re not performing well on third down, and to make matters worse, they’re not getting yards in chunks. Sometimes when you get yards in chunks, it can cover up some other inadequacies. They can’t solve all their problems, but they better solve at least one of these problems — and really soon.”
Not only Tomlin expressed dissatisfaction. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers also voiced his concerns about the team’s offensive issues. He criticized head coach Mike McCarthy for not selecting the right plays to enhance the team’s competitiveness.
“In a game like today where there wasn’t a lot of flow to it, we need to be better — and it starts with me,” Rodgers stated. “[I need to be better about] making sure Mike knows what’s working, what’s not working, our coaches know, and so we can call stuff that we feel like has a better chance to win.”
Despite dealing with injuries last year, Tomlin’s team performed better statistically. They averaged 316.9 yards and 23.4 points per game. Comparatively, under McCarthy, the Steelers are averaging 249.5 yards and 11.5 points per game in their first two matchups.
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