Mike Tomlin not ready to make changes or provide quick fixes to struggling Steelers offense

Despite his offense sitting near or at the bottom of the NFL rankings in yards, points and yards per play, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin isn’t ready to make any further changes with his starters or coaches.

“I don’t feel like I’m there,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference.

The biggest change occurred at halftime of Week 4 when Tomlin replaced veteran quarterback Mitch Trubisky with rookie Kenny Pickett. Still, the Steelers have topped 20 points just once this season, and that was in the season opener when they needed overtime to eke out a 23-20 victory at Cincinnati.

The offense is averaging 298.6 yards per game, which ranks No. 30 in the NFL. That’s a drop from last year, Matt Canada’s first as offensive coordinator, when the Steelers averaged 315.4 yards. The Steelers rank No. 31 in points by averaging 15.3. Last year, the average was 20.2.

Like last year, the Steelers continue to average 4.8 yards per play. Where that was good — or bad? — enough for a No. 28 ranking in 2021, it is the worst total in the NFL this season.

The Steelers are one of three NFL teams without a run of 20 yards or longer and have had just one pass play eclipse 40 yards. The lack of chunk plays led to wide receiver Chase Claypool calling for the playbook to be opened up in the wake of the Steelers’ 16-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night.

“We need more splash. We need bigger plays,” Claypool said. “We need to go down the field a little bit. Sometimes, a defense prevents that, but we have to go down the field.”

Claypool wants the offense to take on a quick-strike mentality.

“I just think it’s harder to score when it’s a 10- to 15-play drive because everything has to go right if you’re nickel and diming,” he said. “You’re getting 5 yards a play, which is fine for time of possession, but sometimes we just want to go score.”

Two days after that loss, Tomlin didn’t offer any quick fixes for his offense’s shortcomings.

“Keep working,” he said. “With continuity, it raises your floor. When you raise your floor and minimize negativity, you increase the potential for positivity. Sometimes, the changes that need to occur aren’t significant ones. They’re just continuing to work and understanding that the dam’s going to break in terms of those opportunities.”