Kenny Pickett, Steelers offense deliver a dud in much-anticipated Steelers’ season opener

By most accounts, the preseason was a perfect for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first-team offense.

Kenny Pickett’s passer rating? A perfect 158.3.

A perfect 3-0 record. A perfect ratio of five touchdowns in five possessions, too.

Perhaps that makes the 30-7 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in the regular-season opener so perfectly painful and perplexing.

“Yeah, confidence was at an all-time high,” center Mason Cole said of the offense in the lead-up to the season. “Still is. I don’t think anyone’s lacking confidence after this.

“Just the ball rolled their way today, and we didn’t execute. Not a whole lot more to say than that. We just didn’t do our part.”

The Steelers managed just 3.9 yards per play and had almost as many punts (six) as points. The Steelers went three-and-out on each of their first five drives (one interception and four punts) and had two turnovers.

Through the first 28 minutes of game action, the Steelers had totaled 1 net yard over 15 snaps.

It was the type of start for the offense that few had envisioned, especially after what was widely regarded as a solid training camp and preseason from Pickett and several other key starters.

“Obviously, I thought it was a going to go a lot better than that,” Cole said. “(The 49ers) were just a better team today. It’s a really good defense, hats off to them, just a really, really solid defense. But just lack of execution by us.”

Simply put, the #Steelers weren’t ready for #FTTB https://t.co/TWzN4NX9PA

— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) September 10, 2023

The Steelers converted just one of their first nine opportunities on third downs. Not counting 15 incompletions, two accepted penalties or the two interceptions, 10 other Steelers offensive plays went for zero or negative yards.

Putting aside one Najee Harris 24-yard run, Steelers running backs otherwise accounted for eight carries for 13 yards. On 51 dropbacks, the Steelers netted 198 passing yards (3.9-yard average).

“We’ve got to perform better,” coach Mike Tomlin said of the offense. “We do. We didn’t. Particularly on possession downs.”

The 49ers ranked No. 1 in the NFL in total defense last season, a unit that surely was markedly better than the collection of backups the Steelers’ first-team offense faced in scoring three touchdowns in three drives during preseason games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. (The Buffalo Bills at least deployed starters when the Pickett-led Steelers scored 14 points in two drives against them).

But regardless of who the Steelers offense was facing Sunday, it was not good.

“We just didn’t execute, honestly,” Pickett said. “I think it was more us than (San Francisco’s defense). I felt comfortable with what I was seeing and what they were doing. We just didn’t execute like we needed to.

“Wouldn’t say it was a timing thing. Just need to be better.”

Pickett didn’t believe timing was a factor, but he did note that he and tight end Pat Freiermuth were not on the same page on a fourth-down pass into the end zone late deep in 49ers territory in the third quarter.

That was just one example of a play in which Pickett seemed off in his timing and/or his comfort level in the pocket and/or with the accuracy of his throws.

“Yeah, listen, it happens,” Pickett said of the lack of a crisp cohesion. “If Pat saw it one way, I saw it the other way, it needs to get fixed. Obviously, you put a lot of time in, but we’ll get it right. I’m not worried about that.”

Elected a co-captain this summer after only 13 NFL games, Pickett is savvy enough to keep an even-keeled demeanor. If all of the optimism of recent weeks came crashing down so suddenly, Pickett isn’t going to let teammates see him panic.

“It stays the same,” Pickett said of the upcoming week leading into next Monday’s home game against the rival Cleveland Browns. “You prepare the same way. You handle losses and wins the same way. You look at the game the same amount of time. Nothing really changes. But the miscues need to get fixed quick.”

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