Decision looming large on Mike Tomlin moving forward with Mitchell Trubisky

by Bo Marchionte

Cleveland – After three weeks we are no closer to understanding the Steelers offense than we were in minicamp. The 29-17 loss to Cleveland, leaves the Steelers 1-2 overall and chaos lurking around the corner until the offense gets situated.

“I thought he made some plays,” Mike Tomlin said of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. “We all collectively came up short. Winning is our business, and we didn’t handle our business.”

Impatience is growing with each incomplete pass.

Every failure to convert on third down is aiding in controversary at quarterback in Pittsburgh.

Tomlin inherited Ben Roethlisberger, who allowed him to rest easy each night knowing that the quarterback position was secure. That luxury no longer exists with the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback in the infant stages of his retirement.

Tomlin did his best to conceal any real concerns about the quarterback position moving forward and pointed his attention to Nick Chubb as the real culprit to Pittsburgh’s demise against the Browns.

“I thought they controlled the line of scrimmage,” Tomlin said. “Particularly in the second half. If you can’t slow down (Nick) Chubb you can’t beat this group.

“So, there’s not really a lot to talk about.”

Did he really say – There is not a to talk about.

The redlights are blinking – Danger! Danger! Danger!

This entire situation reminds me of the scene in The Big Lebowski when The Dude trying to justify a laundry list of mishaps concerning the whereabouts of Bunny Lebowski.

The Dude: Look, nothing is f*cked, here, man. The Big Lebowski: Nothing is f*cked? The Big Lebowski: The Goddamn plane has crashed into the mountain!

Pittsburgh currently has an ineffective veteran signal-caller and an unknown rookie commodity. Surely, there is more than enough to discuss. The defense allowing both a 100-yd rusher and receiver (Amari Cooper) could also pique the interest. Especially with T.J. Watt on IR. 

Mutually I concur with Tomlin that the team’s failure to slow down Chubb who rushed for 113 yards on 23 carries and one rushing touchdown, was a big factor in the team’s eventual outcome Thursday night. 

The defense by Tomlin to use Chubb as the focus of the short comes of the Steelers, underlies the elephant in the room. Until the offense plays better and this team is moving in the right direction, whispers will be voiced in the confines and corridors of the lock room and in social media. 

Trubisky finished the game with his highest quarterback rating of the season 81. 1, but that pales in comparison to the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the league. When Coach Tomlin is referencing that winning is the team’s business it is clear that’s not winning football.

When the performance by a player is usually the worst by the best players then there is an issue with the player with whom you depend on. Maybe the team doesn’t trust rookie Kenny Pickett. Maybe they see more in Trubisky than meets the eye.

“I’m not in that mindset,” Tomlin said regarding a decision to unseat Trubisky as the starter. “I’m interested in reviewing this tape and looking at the totality of it and figuring out how we collectively get better.

“I will answer that question definitely no.”

That doesn’t mean after ‘reviewing’ the tape Tomlin changes his mind, but none the less the situation is only going to deteriorate the longer the offense remains inconsistent moving the football.

“We hit some in the first half and we got 14 points,” Trubisky said. “Three points in the second half aren’t going to do it for us.”

Plagued by third and long the team was one for nine on the critical down to move the chains. Especially third and long the team has struggled since Week 1.

“I think we will have to go back to the film,” Trubisky said. “Definitely stay out of third and longs. Just going to have to go back and watch and see where we need to improve.”

Over the course of the last three games Trubisky is 62 for 103 on pass completions for 569 yards. A meager two touchdowns and one interception to his 2022 quarterback resume.

Three Starts	Pass Attempts	Completion %	Yards	Touchdowns	Interceptions	QB Rating
Top 5 QB Avg.	94.8	50.8	642.8	6.8	0.4	121.8
Mitchell Trubisky	103	60.2	569	2	1	77.7
Trubisky Ranking	Tied for 1st	23rd	9th	Tied for 18th	3rd Lowest	29th
Bottom 5 QB Avg.	50	44.2	279.2	1.6	3.8	72.3

 

These are uncharted waters for Tomlin.

His navigation through these troubled seas might be some of the most difficult maneuvers during his 16-year tenure as head coach of the Steelers.  

Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada was trending with the hashtag #FireMattCanada.

Yet, Coach Tomlin said there is not a lot to talk about.

When winning is your business. The urgency to win reigns supreme. Currently that is not the business model being used in Pittsburgh.

The time is nearing for Pittsburgh to insert rookie Kenny Pickett.

The provide a spark to an offense that has struggled to find its footing early in the season. The Steelers are embarking on a tough stretch of games. The New York Jets arrive at Acrisure Stadium on October 2nd.

 

The Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles are on the horizon in that order after Pittsburgh hosts the Jets.

The extended days off after their Thursday night game against Cleveland could allow for those extra days of preparation for Pickett if the Tomlin elects to head in a different direction at quarterback prior to Week 4.

It is inevitable Pickett will be under center soon. 

Hopefully, for the success of the Steeles franchise. Mitchell isn’t being chanted during games.