Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense led by quarterback Mitch Trubisky has struggled through the first two games of the season, but head coach Mike Tomlin said Monday that he isn't pressing the panic button just yet.

"I'm going to exercise appropriate patience and continue to teach and ask the guys to continue to learn in an effort to continue to push this train down the track and get better," Tomlin said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "I think that if anyone is sitting here on Monday in Week 2 of this thing feeling happy, they're probably wrong or misinformed."

The Steelers fell to 1-1 this season with Sunday's 17-14 loss to the New England Patriots. Trubisky went 21-of-33 for 168 yards, a touchdown and an interception. It was the second straight game that he didn't take many shots downfield and he's now averaging 5.1 per attempt, which is second-worst in the NFL.

Tomlin acknowledged that he would like to see more aggression from Trubisky, though he added that the burden isn't solely on his shoulders but rather the team as a whole.

"I think he could [be more aggressive in the passing game]," Tomlin said, "And we could. ... We haven't scored enough points here last couple of weeks, but that's a collective, not just the quarterback position, not just the players. It's all of us are responsible for ringing up the scoreboard."

During Sunday's game, fans at Acrisure Stadium were chanting for Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett to be inserted into the game. Tomlin said he didn't hear the chants, but it sounds like Trubisky has the support of his teammates.

"I don't think there's any doubt with Mitch," Steelers center Mason Cole said Monday. "We know the kind of player Mitch is. Mitch is a winner; he's won in this league. He's won for this offense already. ... Everyone in this locker room, everyone in this organization believes in Mitch."

Trubisky will continue to have the opportunity to prove himself, but he is looking at a quick turnaround this week, as the Steelers will return to action on Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns.

As the external pressure for the team to make a quarterback change increases, Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller Mitch Trubisky expressed a sense of resignation over the situation.

"It is what it is," he told reporters following Sunday's 17-14 loss to the New England Patriots. "You just block it out and continue to play football."

Trubisky went 21-for-33 for 168 yards, one touchdown and an interception in the defeat. Midway through the game, the Acrisure Stadium crowd made their opinions known when they chanted Kenny Pickett's name.

Signing Trubisky as a one-year stopgap made sense.

The Steelers didn't have an internal solution to start at quarterback since Mason Rudolph wasn't the answer. In a weak NFL draft class at the position, it didn't make a lot of sense to throw a first-year QB straight into the starting job, either.

Trubisky would, in theory, be good enough to hold down the fort until Pickett was ready to take over.

Pickett's strong preseason, however, meant plenty of fans would want to see the rookie under center in Week 1. The Heisman Trophy finalist went 29-for-36 for 261 yards and three touchdowns.

Not to overdue this only into second PS game but Steelers Kenny Pickett does not look like a rookie. Cool, calm, hitting receivers in stride. Getting rid of ball quickly. Good pocket awareness behind a poor line

— Ed Bouchette (@XRuleExecutive) August 21, 2022

Now, through two weeks, Trubisky is failing to hit what were already modest expectations. His 181.0 passing yards per game and 76.1 quarterback rating are below what he delivered in any of his four years with the Chicago Bears.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to argue the Steelers would be worse with Pickett. If the coaching staff believes that to be the case, then it presents far bigger problems for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have a short week, with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. Because of the quick turnaround, making a quarterback change would be tricky.

Should fans watch more of the same from Trubisky in Week 3, the calls for Pickett to take over will almost certainly hit fever pitch.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed T.J. Watt on injured reserve because of a torn pectoral muscle and signed edge-rusher David Anenih, the team announced Thursday.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Tuesday that Watt won't require surgery and could return after six weeks rather than miss the rest of the season.

Concern arose when Watt came off the field in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's 23-20 overtime victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. The cameras appeared to catch him telling team personnel he had torn his pectoral muscle.

The tear could've put the 27-year-old's season in jeopardy. Fortunately for him and the Steelers, they dodged the worst-case scenario.

An injured reserve designation requires a player to miss a minimum of four games. That would leave Watt eligible to return in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Based on Schefter's report, though, he might not return until around Pittsburgh's bye in Week 9.

Prior to the injury, Watt hadn't missed a beat after tying Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a season (22.5). He had six tackles, one sack and three tackles for loss as he helped Pittsburgh force five turnovers.

The Steelers will have to hope Malik Reed can pose enough of a threat on the edge to avoid having the defense fall off too much.

Anenih, meanwhile, might have the opportunity to make his NFL debut. Signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in April, he had seven tackles and three sacks in three preseason contests.

The 23-year-old was on Tennessee's practice squad.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky said the team's offense must develop a "killer mindset" after blowing a 14-point lead in a Week 1 win against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Steelers took a 17-3 advantage midway through the second quarter of Sunday's game on a touchdown pass from Trubisky to running back Najee Harris, but they failed to find the end zone again as part of a 23-20 overtime triumph over the reigning AFC champions.

"When your defense is playing that well, and they're getting turnovers, you just want to take care of the football, but we've got to have that killer mindset, that aggressive mentality to really take teams out of the game and just not allow 'em to keep it close," Trubisky told reporters Wednesday.

Pittsburgh's defense forced five turnovers and its special teams came up with a clutch block on an extra point by Bengals kicker Evan McPherson at the end of regulation to force overtime. Chris Boswell kicked the game-winning field goal in the extra period.

Those heroics from the other two phases wouldn't have been necessary if the Trubisky-led offense was a little more efficient in the season opener. The unit finished the contest with just 267 total yards and 13 first downs on 15 drives.

The Steelers averaged just 5.1 yards per passing attempt in Week 1, which ranked 30th of the league's 32 teams. Harris and Co. also put up a mere 3.4 yards per carry on the ground.

Trubisky, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason following the retirement of longtime franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger, knows there's room for improvement.

"I think timing ... from my perspective can be better—either getting it out a little sooner or waiting for the plays to develop a little more, just to a lot of guys to be in the right spot the right time," he said. "But overall we just need to execute and make the plays."

Of course, a more optimistic view is the Steelers played far from their best game on offense and still found a way to knock off a top-tier AFC contender, which is a promising sign.

Pittsburgh's schedule in the coming weeks is quite favorable with home games against the New England Patriots (Week 2) and New York Jets (Week 4) sandwiched around a road trip to face the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns (Week 3).

It creates a plausible path to a 4-0 start for head coach Mike Tomlin's group, but the offense will need to make some serious strides to make that a reality.

If the improvement doesn't happen quickly, the calls for rookie Kenny Pickett to take over the offense figure to arrive in short order.

On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Pittsburgh Steelers superstar T.J. Watt tore his pectoral but didn't tear the tendon, meaning that he won't require surgery and could return this season after six weeks of rehabilitation.

And that has to be at least some measure of relief for Mike Tomlin.

"We're probably in a lot better place than we were after the game," the team's head coach told reporters on Tuesday. "... I can definitively say that T.J. won't play this week [against the New England Patriots], but I won't make any commitments beyond that. We're encouraged, and we'll just continue to look at the situation and gain opinions and do what's appropriate."

Watt also indicated on Twitter he plans to return this season:

pic.twitter.com/xSMGsjB55X

— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) September 13, 2022

It's huge news for the Steelers—the 27-year-old is one of the most dynamic defensive players in football.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year award winner notched 64 tackles (21 for loss), 22.5 sacks, 39 quarterback hits, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and seven pass deflections in 15 games last season. The four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro selection is the game's most feared edge-rusher.

So any time he misses is a huge blow for the Steelers. Just how much time he misses remains to be seen, and a decision on whether he will be placed on injured reserve—which would guarantee he missed a minimum of four games—has yet to be decided.

"We got time to make decisions such as that, IR decisions that have to be made by the end of the week relative to this game being a counter," Tomlin said. "... We're not in a hurry to gather information too quickly. We'll see how his body responds. We'll get second and third opinions. And at the end of the week, or at some point we'll do what's appropriate."

Watt isn't replaceable for the Steelers, obviously. There are no easy substitutions for a player who has registered double-digit sacks in four straight seasons 37.5 in the last two years alone.

But Malik Reed and Jamir Jones will play a bigger role for the Steelers going forward opposite Alex Highsmith, who opened the season with three sacks against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Malik Reed is “definitely ready” to be the next man up filing in for TJ Watt as Steelers LOLB pic.twitter.com/4TgxxgORuc

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 12, 2022

Tomlin said it will be a cast of characters to fill his role and mentioned Malik Reed and Jamir Jones. "It's not realistic to think they're going to be TJ, but they're varsity."

— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) September 13, 2022

Reed had five sacks for the Denver Broncos last season. Jones didn't register a sack in stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Steelers and Los Angeles Rams in 2021.

Najee Harris' fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief after the Pittsburgh Steelers running back said the foot injury he suffered in Week 1 is "nothing too crazy."

On Tuesday, Harris told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio he plans to practice this week and intends to play in Sunday's Week 2 home opener against the New England Patriots:

"I'll be back at practice this week, and then I will be playing this weekend."

Najee Harris tells @AdamSchein he'll be ready to go for the #Steelers game against the Patriots.

Audio:⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/aUjNewbjTk

— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) September 13, 2022

The dual-threat playmaker was an immediate fantasy star as a rookie last year, tallying 1,667 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns to help a lot of managers win their leagues.

He got off to a sluggish start against the Cincinnati Bengals to open this season, rushing for just 23 yards on 10 carries before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with the injury. He salvaged the game from a fantasy perspective with a receiving touchdown.

The Steelers picked up the win in overtime, 23-20.

A long-term absence for Harris would be a major setback for Pittsburgh and fantasy managers alike. Pittsburgh doesn't have a proven backup with Jaylen Warren and Benny Snell Jr. next on the depth chart, and fantasy players had to invest a high draft pick on the standout rusher this year.

Luckily, it sounds like the 24-year-old University of Alabama product expects to avoid missing his first NFL game after playing all 17 last year.

The key question in the coming days will be whether he's listed as a full participant in practice or if he remains limited or out.

If he's fully involved and is tracking toward his usual high-volume role, he shouldn't have any trouble maintaining his No. 1 RB value in Week 2.

Should it appear the Steelers need to use him more sparingly as a precaution, he could fade toward the No. 2 RB or flex conversation.

That said, as long as he's active Sunday against the Pats, managers can't keep a player of his talent level on the fantasy bench.

The Pittsburgh Steelers experienced several big changes during the 2022 offseason. Ben Roethlisberger retired, Kevin Colbert stepped down as general manager, and Teryl Austin replaced Keith Butler as defensive coordinator.

If you counted Pittsburgh out because of these changes, you haven't paid attention to the franchise's recent track record. Since Mike Tomlin was hired as head coach in 2007, the Steelers have never experienced a losing season.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh proved that even with a new personnel guru, a new defensive play-caller and a new quarterback—for now, Mitch Trubisky—it can hang with the best teams in the AFC. The Cincinnati Bengals are the defending conference champions. For the better part of four quarters, the Steelers looked like a far superior team.

Yes, the Bengals came back, forced overtime and only lost after they had an extra point blocked and Evan McPherson missed a chip-shot field goal—both likely caused by the use of backup long snapper Mitchell Wilcox. The Steelers, however, proved they will remain a force in the AFC North.

But their 23-20 victory came with a cost. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt suffered a torn pectoral and is expected to miss a significant amount of time. Obviously, that put a damper on what appeared to be a promising start to another potential playoff campaign.

For other AFC playoff hopefuls, though, it's still not safe to write off the Steelers.

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Watt's Injury Is a Big Deal

Let's be clear: Losing Watt for any extended period is a huge deal. He's Pittsburgh's defensive centerpiece and one of the best pass-rushers of the modern era. He tied the NFL single-season record with 22.5 sacks in 2021, and he tallied an absurd 80 quarterback hits and 113 pressures over the last two seasons.

Against the Bengals, he was everywhere. He logged six tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.

A bright day for Watt turned dour, though, when the four-time Pro Bowler exited. If there's a silver lining regarding the injury, it's that Watt may not miss the rest of the season.

There's some optimism today in Pittsburgh that OLB and Reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt did not experience a full pec tear and will be able to return after sitting for a month or so, per league source. Still awaiting word from the team.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 12, 2022

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Watt will seek additional medical opinions and could return in six weeks if surgery isn't required.

Editor's Note: Watt was officially placed on the IR, the team announced Thursday. An injured reserve designation requires a player to miss a minimum of four games.

Even in a best-case scenario, Watt is likely to miss a month. That means Pittsburgh won't have its best defender for important conference matchups against the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills—three of its next four opponents.

If Watt needs surgery, he will likely be out until 2023.

There's no way to sugarcoat it: Losing Watt in Week 1 is about the worst thing that could happen to the Steelers. There isn't a more important player on the roster, and he will be out for at least the immediate future.

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Why the Steelers Can Overcome

Even if we assume the worst, it doesn't mean Pittsburgh cannot still make the playoffs. It will definitely be a bigger challenge, but the Steelers still have a talented roster with quality key pieces. In many ways, this is a better team than the one that made the postseason in 2021.

Offensively, we have to start at quarterback. The Steelers may eventually move from Trubisky to rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett, but the former is an experienced veteran with a 30-21 record as a starter who has full control of Matt Canada's offense.

Is Trubisky a franchise quarterback? The Steelers wouldn't have drafted Pickett if they believed he could be. But Trubisky played as well Sunday as the aged Roethlisberger did at most points last season.

His stat line—21-of-38 for 194 yards and a touchdown with zero interceptions and three carries for nine yards—wasn't eye-opening, but Trubisky took care of the ball and made late clutch throws, including a pair of first-town tosses to tight end Pat Freiermuth on the game-winning drive.

This is the play that ultimately won the wildest game of the weekend. Trubisky kept play alive, chose not to dump it off AND they hit Pat Freiermuth— experienced decision pic.twitter.com/MdYG5qw12R

— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) September 12, 2022

Pittsburgh took over on its 20-yard line with 56 seconds remaining in overtime, and Trubisky moved the Steelers into position for Chris Boswell's 53-yard game-winner.

And Trubisky has plenty of help. Freiermuth, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens and running back Najee Harris make for one of the better skill-position groups in the NFL.

Johnson and Harris are Pro Bowlers. Claypool is a fine complementary target, and Freiermuth established himself as a reliable outlet as a rookie last season. Pickens and Calvin Austin III—who is on injured reserve with a foot ailment—are this year's promising rookies.

Freiermuth and Johnson had big grabs on the game-winning drive, and eight different players were targeted against Cincinnati. This group is only going to get better as it builds chemistry with Trubisky.

Harris suffered an ankle injury in Week 1, but it doesn't appear to be serious.

Source: Najee Harris “should be fine” after suffering ankle injury. I’m told it’s “not serious.” Steelers hoping their Pro Bowl RB can play Week 2 vs the #Pats.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 12, 2022

While Trubisky won't keep Pickett on the bench for years a la Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, he can game-manage the Steelers to the postseason. Pittsburgh ranked 29th in yards per pass, 29th in yards per rush and 23rd in total offense last year and won nine games.

Defensively, the Steelers have plenty of talent in addition to Watt. Much of it was on display against the Bengals.

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick gave Pittsburgh an early lead with a pick-six, while Cameron Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon also logged interceptions. Alex Highsmith (three), Robert Spillane, Cameron Heyward and Arthur Maulet notched sacks of Joe Burrow.

The reigning Comeback Player of the Year was sacked seven times and committed five turnovers.

Do the Steelers have weaknesses? Sure. The offensive line—which added free agents Mason Cole and James Daniels in March—remains a work in progress. A run defense that ranked last in 2021 could still be an issue, though it appeared far more capable with Myles Jack manning the second level.

Cincinnati finished with 133 rushing yards but averaged 3.9 yards per carry.

And, of course, the Steelers still have Tomlin on the sideline. Sub-.500 football has never happened with him at the helm—Tomlin even salvaged an 8-8 record when Roethlisberger missed 14 games in 2019.

The Steelers weren't elite on either side of the ball in 2021 (24th in total defense), but under the veteran leadership of Tomlin, they regularly found ways to win.

There's little reason to believe things will be different, though replacing Watt's leadership and production will be an obvious challenge.

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How Can the Steelers Replace Watt?

This is the big question, and the reality is that the Steelers can't replace Watt—not in any sort of one-for-one scenario. Players of Watt's caliber are rare. Short of trading for Myles Garrett or Micah Parsons, Pittsburgh isn't going to find an edge-rusher who can take over a game the way Watt can.

It can, however, replace his sack production, and that starts with players already on the roster. Highsmith, a third-year player out of Charlotte, has already shown he can be a high-level pass-rusher.

While he logged only six sacks last season, he had 26 quarterback pressures. His three sacks Sunday suggest the 25-year-old may be ready to take the proverbial next step. He'll probably be the guy leading the pass rush moving forward.

Always believed #Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith had star potential. He looked dominant yesterday. Has the total rush package. They will need him now more than ever.

— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) September 12, 2022

Malik Reed, acquired in a late-August trade with the Denver Broncos, will likely also be part of the equation. The fourth-year linebacker logged 13 sacks over the last two seasons and is prepared to take on a bigger role.

"I had a lot of opportunities starting games [in Denver], so I am going to be ready for it," Reed said, per Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The Steelers can also look to generate pressure with their defensive front, using three-time All-Pro Heyward and free-agent addition Larry Ogunjobi.

Ogunjobi had seven sacks and 24 quarterback pressures with Cincinnati last season.

If the Steelers do seek outside help for depth purposes, they have $8.9 million in salary-cap space. It's worth noting, though, that the free-agent pass-rushing pool is limited to Jason Pierre-Paul, Dee Ford, Takkarist McKinley and the like. Watt's replacement in the starting lineup will come from within.

Having a seasoned coordinator in Austin will help. He has been with the Steelers since 2019 and was a defensive coordinator with the Bengals and Detroit Lions. You can bet that he and Tomlin are already working on a revised strategy for Week 2.

As he did when Roethlisberger missed the majority of the season three years ago, Tomlin will find ways to keep this team competitive. Opposing quarterbacks may find a little more breathing room with Watt out, but by no means will they have easy days against the Black and Gold.

Losing Watt hurts, but it shouldn't dash the playoff hopes of the Steelers faithful. Fans of other teams should also recognize Pittsburgh won't go away any time soon.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris had an injury scare on Sunday, but he reportedly avoided disaster.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Harris underwent tests on Monday for a foot injury and they came back negative. The belief is that he "should be good to go" for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

Harris limped off the field with an apparent foot injury late in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's Week 1 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals and didn't return. He had been dealing with a Lisfranc sprain throughout training camp. He was seen wearing a protective boot after the game.

The second-year speedster out of Alabama is one of Pittsburgh's most important offensive players. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, appearing in all 17 games in 2021 and rushing for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns on 307 carries. He also added 74 receptions on 94 targets for 467 yards and three more scores.

An injury to Harris would have been a major blow to the Steelers, as the team is fairly thin at the running back position. Rookie undrafted free agent Jaylen Warren took the majority of the snaps when Harris exited against Cincinnati. Fourth-year running back Benny Snell is also available, but he rushed for just 98 yards on 36 carries last season. Snell made five combined starts in 2019 and 2020. The team also has 2020 fourth-round pick, Anthony McFarland, on the practice squad.

With Harris expected to be healthy in Week 2, the Steelers are hoping to continue building off the momentum from their win over the Bengals.

The Pittsburgh Steelers remain optimistic linebacker T.J. Watt will return at some point during the 2022 NFL season.

Watt suffered a pectoral injury during the season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it was believed to be a tear. However, CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones followed up Monday to report the injury may not be a serious as first feared:

There's some optimism today in Pittsburgh that OLB and Reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt did not experience a full pec tear and will be able to return after sitting for a month or so, per league source. Still awaiting word from the team.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 12, 2022

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the belief is that the injury will not require surgery and Watt could return in "six weeks or so."

Schefter added that Watt will seek second and third opinions from doctors to determine the best course of action. If it's determined he needs surgery, Watt will miss the remainder of the 2022 season. A rest approach could get him back in the lineup in six weeks.

While Pittsburgh earned the dramatic overtime win, it was quite the costly one considering how important Watt is to the team's Super Bowl chances.

The Wisconsin product was the Defensive Player of the Year last season with 64 tackles, a league-best 22.5 sacks, seven passes defended, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He made his fourth straight Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro performer for the third straight year.

He was once again expected to contend for the Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, putting the onus on other defenders to make up for his absence.

That makes Cameron Heyward all the more important as a defensive leader, and Alex Highsmith will likely see more opportunities as well until Watt is back on the field.