Steelers Considering Offensive Change….
Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes have plummeted over the past three weeks, with losses to the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts dropping the team to 7-7. Firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada was a rare move for the Steelers, and replacing him with Mike Sullivan in the first game seemed like a smart decision, but things haven’t gone as planned since. The starting quarterback, Kenny Pickett, has yet to make the Year 2 jump that many signal callers experience.
Arizona loss with high ankle sprain
The team has not put a timeline on Pickett’s return, but it’s expected to be no more than four weeks.
Mitchell Trubisky has replaced Pickett at quarterback, but his play has left a lot to be desired.
The former No. 2 overall pick has thrown three touchdowns (three INTs) since taking over in Week 13, and he’s failed to pass for more than 190 yards in a single game during that time.
On Saturday, Pittsburgh’s offense gave up 13-0 in the first quarter against the Colts, then came up empty in the second half to lose 30-13.
Mike Tomlin said in his postgame interview (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) that the Steelers will “change things up” next week. While adjustments on defense may come in the next few days, the offense will be one to keep an eye on. Tomlin wouldn’t confirm that Trubisky is the Steelers’ Week 16 starter, which could be because Pickett’s availability is in question. But it could also mean that the Steelers will make a notable change in another effort to spark the offense.
Trubisky finished Saturday’s loss, his first start of the 2023 season after not playing last year. He’s only made two starts since the start of the 2020 season. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Pittsburgh gave the nod to Trubisky, but it wouldn’t be a shock if Pittsburgh made a notable change in the next week. Inconsistency in the passing game has been a constant problem for the team, which is still in contention for a wild-card spot in the AFC.
Mike Tomlin’s never-losing record is on the line once again, but the outcome of this season is unlikely to affect his future. How he and his staff fare in the coming weeks will, however, be one of the most significant stories to follow as Pittsburgh looks to get back on track.
