It’s convenient to say exhibition play has no bearing on the NFL regular season.

It’s even more convenient to expect a switcheroo in form from exhibition games to real ones by remembering that Kenny Pickett had a passer rating of 158.3 in the 2023 preseason, then fell apart when live rounds got fired.

It’s wishful thinking to believe the Pittsburgh Steelers show any sign whatsoever of being a good team. Because they don’t.

Except for the punter. He looks good. He might have to punt a lot, too.

The Steelers got no touchdowns against Buffalo on Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium. Russell Wilson played five series at quarterback, Justin Fields five series. If there is a competition for the starting QB job, Saturday’s result was akin to a scoreless tie. Bad soccer.

Never mind the stats, although they were rotten: The offense, for example, averaged just 1.4 yards per play with Wilson at quarterback. He got sacked three times.

But what’s beyond the numbers tells a worse tale: The offense doesn’t look crisp and organized, not even for a play here and there. We’re not seeing any of the inventiveness or power promised by the hiring of Oppenheimer as offensive coordinator. It looks like Matt Canada never left.

Exhibition play doesn’t mean a lot. But it doesn’t mean nothing.

The Steelers overestimate their weaponry. So do you. It’s a motley crew.

If Brandon Aiyuk saw Saturday’s offensive debacle, it should convince him to stay in San Francisco. Aiyuk couldn’t make enough difference. It’s more likely that he’d become a condiment for the stink sandwich.

One quarterback is past his prime, the other a first-round bust. They both hold onto the ball too long.

One running back is a lame duck that the Steelers don’t appear to really want, the other hurt his hamstring.

Has anyone noticed that the No. 1 wide receiver’s best catches are out of bounds?

The No. 1 tight end is supposed to be the No. 2 receiver. Except he’s not even a very good tight end. And if he’s the No. 2 receiver, who’s the No. 1 tight end? The guy they never throw to?

The offensive line got rebuilt in the draft and had a chance to be good. But that’s been mangled by coaching malpractice.

The franchise left tackle is still at right tackle over a year after he got drafted by way of preserving the comfort level of the lousy left tackle.

Broderick Jones got manhandled at right tackle Saturday and beat for a couple sacks. He’s said to have an elbow injury. Perhaps he’s just confused by switching sides in practice.

Dan Moore Jr. can’t play right tackle. So he should get cut. If Moore can’t be a swing tackle, his use is minimal.

Moore has started 49 games at left tackle in the NFL. Maybe he shouldn’t have. That’s what his performance says.

Jones should be at left tackle, period. That’s the spot he was drafted to play.

The Steelers tried to shoehorn a non-center in at center. He got hurt. That’s a shame, but now an actual center can play the position.

From the first day of training camp, the first-team offensive line should have been Jones at left tackle, Isaac Seumalo at left guard, Zach Frazier at center, James Daniels at right guard and Troy Fautanu at right tackle. Give your top talent reps, and give them reps together. Develop cohesion and rhythm.

All this outright stupidity is masked by the belief that the hypocycloid is never wrong. Despite not winning a playoff game in seven years.

Here’s a series of bold predictions that really aren’t bold:

• The Steelers will lose Week 1 at Atlanta. Kirk Cousins at quarterback is all about points and stats. The Steelers won’t outscore him. The Steelers might not score at all.

The Falcons added linebacker Matthew Judon and safety Justin Simmons last week. Judon made first-team All-Pro in 2022, Simmons made second-team All-Pro four of the last five years.

The Falcons got things done. Aiyuk is still a 49er.

• Mike Tomlin will turn to Justin Fields sooner than expected, likely reneging on what was promised Wilson just like what happened to Mitch Trubisky in 2022.

There’s still one more preseason game and almost three weeks before the regular-season opener at Atlanta. Things can get better.

But we’re seeing zero indication of that. If the Steelers are on the brink of anything, it’s a bad start they simply can’t afford.

But did you know Coach T has never had a losing season?

A third prediction:

• Punter Cameron Johnston will be team MVP.

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