Offense struggles for 2nd week in row in Steelers' preseason loss to Bills

At least Russell Wilson didn’t have any issues handling the snap from center in his Pittsburgh Steelers debut.

That is one of the few positives that can be taken from the way the first-team offense performed under Wilson’s tutelage in the Steelers’ second preseason game.

Continuing a trend that began in the opener, the Steelers’ offense didn’t generate any points until the backups were in the game, which contributed to a 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.

The Steelers had just two first downs and 49 yards of offense during Wilson’s five possessions. It came a week after Justin Fields and the first-team offense failed to generate any points on three drives.

“Still not what we’re looking for,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It was better in some areas but still JV in too many others.”

Wilson completed 8 of 10 passes for 47 yards with a long completion of 12 yards. He was sacked on each of his first three series. The Steelers were 1 of 7 on third down in the first half after going 0 for 5 in the opener.

“The biggest thing is staying on schedule,” Wilson said. “We had too many third and longs. We did some good things, but at the same time, we have to give ourselves the best chance possible to be successful.”

With one preseason game remaining, Wilson said the Steelers have time to correct the mistakes.

“If our practices weren’t as good as they have been, you’d be a little more heightened and concerned,” he said.

While Fields had two fumbled snaps working with center Nate Herbig, Wilson and rookie Zach Frazier had nothing but clean exchanges. It’s a tandem that figures to get considerable work in the regular season given that Herbig sustained a shoulder injury in practice Wednesday that could be serious, a source confirmed.

Herbig was hurt late in the Steelers’ final practice at Saint Vincent College. The Steelers are awaiting more medical information on a second opinion before determining how much time Herbig will miss.

Herbig’s injury paved the way for Frazier, the team’s second-round draft pick from West Virginia, to start against the Bills. Frazier was the only starting lineman to play into the second half.

“It just felt good to be out there,” Frazier said. “Obviously, we’ve got to be better.”

Fields replaced Wilson late in the second quarter and played the rest of the way, leading the Steelers on a field goal drive before halftime. In the second half, the Steelers turned the ball over on downs twice after Fields had led the offense into the red zone.

Fields completed 11 of 17 passes for 92 yards, and he rushed for a team-high 42 yards on eight attempts.

“I want to show cleanliness, and I want to put drives together than end in points,” Fields said. “We had long drives, we converted some third downs and got inside the red zone a couple times, but next week we have to end those with touchdowns or points.”

The most impressive Steelers player in the first half was Cameron Johnston, who boomed punts 61, 65 and 64 yards in the air and averaged 56.8 yards on five attempts in the opening half.

The script called for Wilson and the offense to play four series. But the offense was so inefficient — the Steelers had one first down and 27 total yards at that juncture — that Tomlin decided more work was needed.

“It’s somewhat of an incomplete study,” Tomlin said, “because you didn’t get to see us operate or us establish rhythm and personality when you’re not winning possession downs.”

Right tackle Broderick Jones struggled mightily against Greg Rousseau, who beat the Steelers’ 2023 first-round pick twice and was credited with 2.5 sacks in the opening half.

“We didn’t do a good enough job of protecting the quarterback,” Tomlin said.

The fifth series for the offense was set up by a Miles Killebrew interception of Mitch Trubisky that gave the Steelers the ball at their 44. Wilson found Van Jefferson for an 11-yard completion that provided the second first down of the game.

A deep pass that George Pickens caught along the sideline inside the 5 was ruled out of bounds, and Tomlin lost the replay challenge. A short completion to Jefferson set up Chris Boswell for a 52-yard field goal try. His kick clanged off the left upright, and the game remained scoreless.

The Bills, meantime, had their issues moving the ball under Trubisky, the former Steelers quarterback who was booed in his return to the North Shore. Trubisky generated 46 total yards in his first four series before leading the Bills on a field goal drive with 2 minutes, 10 seconds left before halftime.

Nick Herbig had 1.5 of the two sacks against Trubisky, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 86 yards.

The Steelers tied the score 3-3, when Boswell’s kick from 43 yards with 3 seconds left in the half was good. It came after Fields moved the offense 46 yards in the final minute of the half. He had two short completions to Scotty Miller for first downs, then gained 20 yards on a run around left end.

For his first drive of the second half, Fields led a 14-play march to the Bills’ 9. Fields showed off his improvisation, breaking free for a pair of 8-yard runs. He also found tight end Connor Heyward for a 15-yard completion.

Then came the bad. Tomlin elected to leave Fields on the field for a fourth-and-2 from the Buffalo 9. Fields faked a handoff, then tried to scramble around left end. He was met by a swarm of defenders and was tackled for a 7-yard loss.

Fields had a chance to make amends with 3:13 left. The Steelers faced a fourth-and-4 from the Buffalo 20. He danced around in the pocket before throwing incomplete over the middle. He got one more chance with 1:56 left but again turned the ball over on downs.

“I felt the flow of the game, I knew I was going to be in there,” Fields said. “Coach T wanted us to work on our situational ball on fourth down. I love that decision by him.”

Just not the results.