The Steelers put up an embarrassing performance on offense for a second week in a row, that resulted in a loss this time.
Many might have thought that matters could have not gotten any worse than what happened in week one. The game against the Bengals was abysmal, but there was hope that week two could mean some more offense happening on the field for the black and gold. Those dreams were crushed to a fine powder on Sunday after the offense displayed an abysmal performance again.
Mitch Trubisky and Matt Canada should be on thin ice after what transpired at Acrisure stadium in the home opener. The offense was discombobulated and stale throughout the game. They played to lose and change needs to happen, even though Mike Tomlin will continue to refuse this early into the year.
Mitch Trubisky has failed as an experiment at quarterback to this point
Mitch Trubisky was bailed out by his defense in week one and the team won, so many faults were overlooked. His game has been subpar in every aspect, but this game was different since he threw a bad interception that turned the game in another direction. The Steelers offense is led by Trubisky, and he is failing his troops behind a failed general in Matt Canada.
Grade: F
It is hard to see any positives in Trubisky’s game, especially when he is turning over the football. The offense led by him is not moving the ball at all, and that could be somewhat beyond his control because of the play calling. This offense is beyond stale and seems to try and not lose the game, but that is directly refraining them from being a successful team.
Najee Harris made some good plays but failed at the routine ones
Najee Harris had an up and down game against the Patriots this past weekend. He made some positive plays in both the passing and running game on offense. Neither was special, but there could be a major red flag with his game that will need to be monitored going forward.
Grade: C-
Harris gets the benefit of the doubt behind this offensive line, and for good reason. The group in front of him is rarely blocking for the run, but that was not the case on Sunday. The line was blocking, but Harris was making terrible reads and left a lot of plays out on the field that could have been successful run plays.
The Steelers receivers are still not getting a shot at making plays
One of the most frustrating parts of the offense is watching these receivers continuously get open and for the quarterback just to do a lazy check down. Trubisky needs to survey the field better and find these talented weapons that are under the Steelers employ. The playmakers are starting to voice their frustrations, and no one should be blaming them for doing so.
Grade: C+
Giving out a grade for players that barely see any action during a game is difficult. We do not hand out inconclusive grades here, but this group is as close as it gets. Diontae Johnson did make a great play during the two-point conversion that deserves a special shoutout for these poor players that have not been given any opportunities.
Pat Freiermuth was able to score the lone touchdown on offense
The tight ends did not see a lot of balls go towards them during the game against New England. The Steelers offense continued to sputter, but the tight ends did some positive things. Both starters, Pat Freiermuth and Zach Gentry blocked well and even got the lone touchdown.
Grade: C
This is another group that is near the inconclusive mark as we sit here to conjecture about the outcome of this contest. Both played well, but there was not a ton to look at between them. Freiermuth’s touchdown was a big positive and that should be a target for this offense when they get into the red zone.
The Steelers offensive line actually played a good game on Sunday
Many might expect an exiled post on this front line, but they were able to make a solid effort during this game. There is still a lot of work to be done for them to become a formidable group, but there was a step in the right direction between the first and second week. They were not the cause of the issues on offense, which seems like a big step forward.
Grade: B-
The offensive line was able to crack open holes for the run game and protected Trubisky all game long. Harris failed to hit the open holes as he nearly seemed blind when he was handed the football at times on Sunday. This group had a solid outing with the hope of continued growth moving forward.
Steelers offensive grade overall in week two: F+
Pittsburgh still has a ton of issues on offense, which seems to have no end in sight. The resolution could be on the club, but drastic changes might need to happen soon if things continue like they are or get worse. Most of this offense has been a failure to this point in the season.
It is still too early to hit the panic button right now, but another game or two like this would be a disaster. Their defense is keeping them in games, and the offense is basically spitting in their face with this type of performance. This group, mainly the quarterback and offensive coordinator, needs to right this ship immediately or be thrown off it.
The Steelers offense was embarrassing again during their week two matchup against the New England Patriots. They failed in most areas, especially at positions where it counts most.