PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping their second preseason game would be a coming out party for the offense. Russell Wilson was slated to make his Steelers debut and the team would shed its offensive woes of the past few years and transition into a championship offense. Instead, Wilson and the Steelers slipped and stumbled around to another unimpressive performance.
Wilson was noticeably shaking off the cobwebs after months away from NFL action. He fared decently, going 8/10 passing for 47 yards and no touchdowns. The offense failed to gain any important ground with Wilson under center, as the team punted in three of the possessions he ran and missed a field goal in another. The one bright spot was that Wilson established an early rapport with receiver Van Jefferson, foreshadowing a possible connection coming in the regular season.
It wasn't just Wilson who struggled when the first team was in, the entire offense looked off. The offensive line was porous and the pass protection was mediocre at best. Broderick Jones and James Daniels each had multiple moments of being blown up at the point of contact by the opposing defensive linemen. Pat Freiermuth made a curious attempt to beat a defender to the outside instead of taking the space in the middle of the field, losing out on a first down. Jaylen Warren left the game with an injury in the second quarter. Chris Boswell missed a makeable field goal. There were many head scratching and worrying moments with the first team offense.
Struggles Continue for Steelers Offense
Relative to Wilson, Justin Fields looked more poised and confident under center. He extended plays constantly and especially showed off his athleticism and speed as he tucked the ball and scrambled several times. The offense didn't score a touchdown with Fields at QB, but the team looked slightly better. The thing that stuck out the most during Fields' time in the game was the frequency in which offensive coordinator Arthur Smith called a read option. During the team's final drive of the third quarter, it was called three separate times including on a fourth down that the Bills saw coming from a mile away.
Bills Defense Dominates
All in all, the stagnant offense is again the story of the game for the Steelers. The defense held the Bills to just field goals, forced a turnover, and had several QB pressures and sacks. The offense couldn't get anything going, and it has cost the Steelers both of their preseason games in 2024.
What's Next for the Steelers?
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