Category: 2024 preseason Week 2 – Steelers vs Bills

Mike Tomlin sends blunt message to Steelers offensive line

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin harped on the offensive line following their preseason loss to the Bills.

The process of rebuilding the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has been a long and painful one. It started in earnest with tackle Broderick Jones in the 2023 NFL draft and continued this spring with Troy Fautanu (tackle), Zach Frazier (center) and Mason McCormick (guard).

Landing the Washington Huskie meant Jones could return to his natural spot on the line’s left side. But not so fast. Fautanu’s knee injury forced Jones to return to the right side, with Dan Moore Jr. playing on the left.

It took Jones time to adjust to playing on the right side last year, but he improved as the season went on. So far, he’s been charged with two of the seven total sacks on Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen.

Mike Tomlin stated the obvious after the game:

We didn’t do a good enough job of protecting the quarterback. We’ve gotta do a better job in pass protection than we did; not only on possession downs but just in general. I was really upfront with the group about it in that regard. That can’t be a problem for us.

Right now, the offensive line doesn’t look how the Steelers intended. We can only hope the unit gets its act together once Fautanu (who allowed a Fields sack in game one) is healthy and Jones can return to left tackle. Otherwise, it will be another long season for Pittsburgh’s offense.

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Steelers new offense reminding everyone of the old offense

Did the Steelers hire Matt Canada 2.0 to run their offense?

Last season, Pittsburgh Steelers fans were ready to show up to Acrisure Stadium with torches and pitchforks to run former offensive coordinator Matt Canada out of town. Thankfully, head coach Mike Tomlin fired Canada during the season to help avoid the angry mob.

The Steelers’ offense saw a nice uptick in the second half of the season due in part to a committee approach to running the offense which made us think there was light at the end of the tunnel.

In the offseason, the Steelers signed offensive coordinator Arthur Smith after his failed tenure as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in hopes of bringing the Steelers offense up to date in the modern NFL.

Through two preseason games and all of training camp, this has not been the case. As much as it pains us to say it, the Steelers offense of 2024 actually looks worse than the 2023 version. We saw an offense in the 2023 preseason that pushed the football down the field and put up points quickly.

None of that carried over the regular season so perhaps we are jumping the gun. Or maybe Smith is more like Canada than any of us wanted to admit when he was hired.

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Best shots from Steelers preseason game vs. Bills

A gallery of best photos from the Pittsburgh Steelers-Buffalo Bills preseason game two.

For the second consecutive week, the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to score points as the offensive line struggled to protect the quarterback. The unit has put up a total of 15 points in two games. Sound familiar? If preseason is any indicator of what’s to come, the Steelers are in deep trouble.

Russell Wilson, who started the game with the first team, was sacked three times for 21 yards in his Steelers debut. In the air, Wilson went 8-of-10 for 47 yards.

While Justin Fields shined in moments — and looked like the overall better QB — it wasn’t enough to put a touchdown(s) on the board.

 

Russell Wilson sacks, offensive line struggles highlight Steelers first half

It’s the same ol’ song and dance for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line.

It’s a new season, but still the same ol’ story: The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line is struggling.

Russell Wilson getting his first start for the Steelers headlined the week, but it’s the sacks he took that headlined the first half.

Thanks to an inefficient performance from Pittsburgh’s starting offensive line, Wilson hardly had time to throw and was met three times by Buffalo Bills defenders for sacks.

A lot is being said about the performance of the second-year tackle Broderick Jones, but there’s plenty of blame to go around. According to Pro Football Focus premium stats, Jones, tight end Darnell Washington and guard Isaac Seumalo were each charged with allowing a sack on Wilson.

Jones’s time in Pittsburgh has unfortunately dictated that he plays out of position. Jones, a natural left tackle, played primarily on the right side due to injuries along the offensive line. Troy Fautanu, drafted to play right tackle, sustained a knee injury in the first game of the preseason.

Wilson went 8-of-10 with 47 yards passing and could never get a rhythm going.

It’s just the preseason, and Jones will hopefully man the offensive line at left tackle and Fautanu at right once the season kicks off on Sept. 8 in Atlanta.

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Steelers RB Jaylen Warren exits Bills matchup with hamstring injury

Steelers RB Jaylen Warren exited the preseason matchup vs. the Bills with a hamstring injury.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is doubtful to return versus the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury.

Warren caught a check-down pass by Russell Wilson and was engulfed by the Bills. Shortly after, Warren spent time in the blue medical tent before walking to the locker room.

It’s a good sign that Warren walked and wasn’t carted off. Sidelining him could’ve just been precautionary, but it’s worth monitoring.

Mike Tomlin could have an update after the game, but we likely won’t know more until next week.

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Steelers fans welcome back Mitch Trubisky with flurry of boos

Ex-Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky came onto the field at Acrisure Stadium to fans booing.

The anticipated weather has forced both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills to make last-minute adjustments to their starting lineup.

Much to the surprise of fans attending the Steelers-Bills matchup at Acrisure Stadium, Mitch Trubisky got the start over Josh Allen. A flurry of boos rang out when Trubisky was announced and Pittsburgh’s former quarterback trotted to the line.

The Steelers’ starters are also missing T.J. Watt. While Mike Tomlin said on Thursday that everyone healthy would play in tonight’s dress rehearsal matchup, Watt is not among them. Dressed in street clothes on the sideline, there’s no injury concern with Watt, but the forecasted weather could present a problem with field conditions.

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Severe weather in Pittsburgh could delay Steelers-Bills preseason game

Severe weather could impact tonight’s preseason game between the Steelers and Bills. 

Severe weather could impact tonight’s preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills.

A flood advisory has been issued for Pittsburgh, with the forecast calling for heavy showers, thunderstorms and localized damaging wind gusts.

Acrisure Stadium’s social media team tweeted a warning advising fans in attendance to take cover should the forecast come true.

Game two is critical for both starters and depth players, as it mimics the regular season without counting in the standings. But it could be bad news if the weather causes issues with players’ footing.

Two weeks ago, the 2024 preseason opener Hall of Fame Game was suspended and ultimately canceled due to heavy rain and lightning.

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Steelers HC Mike Tomlin admits he didn’t talk to Sean Payton about Russell Wilson

Should Mike Tomlin have checked in with Broncos HC Sean Payton before signing Russell Wilson?

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason was all about the quarterback position. Head coach Mike Tomlin and the front office stripped down the quarterback roster and rebuilt it.

Out are Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph; in are Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen. The Steelers traded for Fields, and Wilson and Allen were free-agent additions.

In a recent interview with ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio, Tomlin admitted he didn’t do any vetting of Wilson with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton prior to signing him.

“I did not,” Tomlin said. “It’s my job and our job to determine that. And so I don’t run away from responsibilities. It’s just Steelers conducting Steelers business, man. We information gather. We do our appropriate research, and we make decisions and we don’t look back. We don’t seek comfort from the opinion of others that are non-Steelers, respectfully. That’s just how we go about our business.”

Evaluations of Wilson’s two-year tenure with the Denver Broncos vary greatly depending on who you ask. The Steelers are hoping Wilson can recapture some of the magic from his time with the Seattle Seahawks.

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Steelers vs Bills: How to watch, listen and stream

Here is what you need to know to watch Steelers vs Bills this week.

Here is everything you need to know so you can watch, listen to, or stream this week’s Pittsburgh Steelers game. It’s Week Two of the NFL preseason and Steelers fans will get their first look at quarterback Russell Wilson after missing the first preseason game with a calf injury.

Game info: Buffalo Bills @ Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Game Day: Saturday, August 17 2024
  • Game Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Stadium: Acrisure Stadium
  • TV Channel: NFL Network
  • Weather: Temps in the upper 70s at kickoff

Announcers: Local play-by-play announcers via the NFL Network broadcast.

Online: You can also tune in online with NFL+ and FuboTV (try it for free).

Radio: Westwood One and Steeler Nation Radio will have the game, as well as WDVE 102.5 FM & WBGG 970, AM local.

You can also follow the game with us @TheSteelersWire and of course here on Steelers Wire with our live updates during the game, along with highlights of all the key moments from this week’s game. Join us straight after the final whistle for more in-depth coverage, injury updates, and analysis of all the action.

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Steelers’ starters face stiff challenge on Saturday vs. Bills’ starters

The Bills plan to play their starters longer than the Steelers are playing theirs.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for a challenge, they should get one on Saturday evening against the Buffalo Bills. According to head coach Sean McDermott, the Bills’ starters will play about a quarter and a half.

This is somewhat in contrast to how the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin do things. Tomlin typically takes a minimalist approach to playing starters, and we don’t expect this to change just because of how Buffalo is going to play things.

The Steelers’ backups, who will come in mid-to-late first quarter, are going to have a great test going against the Bills starters. Buffalo plays very physical football on both sides of the ball, and physicality is what the Steelers have tried to improve over the past two offseasons.

The Steelers have named Russell Wilson the starting quarterback for this week’s game, and he is supposed to play four drives.

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