The Steelers have not scored a touchdown in the preseason with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields at quarterback and that has created some concern in Pittsburgh about the state of the offense with the start of the regular season around the corner.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith didn’t sugarcoat the struggles that the team has had when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, but he did stress being patient with how the unit is performing given where we are in the calendar.
“Preseason can distort reality, good or bad,” Smith said, via Bryan DeArdo of CBSSports.com. “We’ve all seen it. That’s not making excuses. . . . That’s not our standard. That’s not acceptable, but at the same time, would rather go through that now than have that happen Week One. . . . We’ve got to get out of our own way.”
Steelers fans don’t have to look too far for a reminder that preseason performance doesn’t always foreshadow what’s coming in the regular season. The Steelers moved the ball easily in August last year, but their offense struggled so much in the regular season that offensive coordinator Matt Canada was let go in November.
That move opened the door for Smith in Pittsburgh and the Steelers will be hoping that things take another big turn come September.