It was an up-and-down performance for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their Week 1 victory over the New York Jets. The defense looked like they couldn't stop anything, while the offense surprised everyone and put up 34 points to will the team to win. It's only one week of the season, but there are some clear storylines that have evolved from the outcome of this game.
Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson was relegated to the kick return role, but things are only getting tougher. He failed to do much as a returner, and to make matters worse, he coughed up the ball during a return. Luckily for him and the Steelers, they recovered that fumble, but the lack of ball security won't make the rookie better in the eyes of Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh's longtime coach has historically brought rookies along slowly, but what he's doing with Johnson is difficult to watch.
Now that the reigning third-round pick by Pittsburgh had a tough start to his NFL career, it's hard to imagine how he will get out of Tomlin's doghouse. He must make the most of every opportunity that comes his way, or he could lose his spot on the active gameday roster.
Pittsburgh Steelers' RB Kaleb Johnson is officially in Mike Tomlin's doghouse
Fumbling the football is never easy to recover from, especially for a player trying to earn extra playing time. The fact that Johnson received one rushing attempt on offense and couldn't do anything with it only shrunk his chances further. He must play smart football going forward and work his way back into Tomlin's good graces one step at a time, or things could get ugly.
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The rookie running back had an inconsistent training camp and preseason, leading Tomlin to limit his opportunities against the Jets. The rookie flashed some quality play late in the preseason, but he failed to demonstrate a more well-rounded game.
He must prove to the coaches that he can be a dependable receiver and pass protector.
Johnson was the key piece on offense during his final season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. He produced massive numbers, and his fit within the Steelers offense appeared perfect. With Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell filling out the depth chart, it seemed like Johnson could start his career in Pittsburgh on the right foot. Sadly, the exact opposite has happened.
Warren may not be a proven every-down back, but he's someone Tomlin and the coaching staff value.
No matter if Johnson takes a step forward in his production or not, expect Warren to remain a significant role player on offense. They know he can block, and he is a smart gadget player who can leak out as a receiver. The veteran's dependability only shrinks the chances of the Iowa product.