Last year, you were feeling pretty good about things. Admit it. It's natural when the numbers are what they were.
In three preseason games in 2023, all wins, the Steelers first-team offense was on the field for 5 total possessions and scored 5 touchdowns. Five-for-five. Three of those five – one in each game – came on the unit's opening possession. The first-team converted 4-of-5 third downs and showed the ability to score on a long run (62 yards by Jaylen Warren) as well as on a long pass (33 yards from Kenny Pickett to George Pickens).
Then the regular season began, and it seemed as though the bottom fell out. The Steelers offense again scored 5 touchdowns, but it took 70 possessions (6 of which were take-a-knees) over 5 games.
Let that be a lesson. What you see during an NFL preseason isn't necessarily what it's going to be once the games start to count in the standings.
This year it's different. So far, in some ways, it's the opposite. In two preseason games – losses of 20-12 to Houston on Aug. 9 and 9-3 to Buffalo 8 days later, both at home – the first-team offense has no touchdowns in 8 possessions, in no small part because it's 1-for-9 on third downs.
Still, this team is on a better path because in design and approach this offense is more professional.
Coordinator Arthur Smith has five seasons worth of experience as an NFL coordinator or head coach, and 15 of his 17 years in the coaching business have come at the professional level. Smith started out on Mike Munchak's staff at Tennessee, and he was then retained by Ken Whisenhunt, Mike Mularkey, and Mike Vrabel. What Smith learned from each of them, and what each of them saw in Smith to retain him point to him being the right man for the right job with the Steelers.
On the eve of the preseason opener, Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about how Smith's past head coaching experience can impact his present mind-set. "When you've been a head coach, it forever changes you in a lot of ways as it pertains to ball and coaching. I think it does help you evolve as a play-caller or offensive coordinator, and so I know he's excited and refreshed and really eager to get started with this season."
Smith so far has had little post-minicamp experience with the guy who's going to be his starting quarterback in Atlanta on Sept. 8. Russell Wilson was eased into training camp because of a calf injury during the conditioning test, and his first preseason snaps came against the Bills. But Wilson is a professional who gets it, and he's consistently productive.
Over 12 NFL seasons, Wilson has started 188 of the 195 possible regular season games during that span, and he averaged 27.8 touchdowns and 8.8 interceptions per. Last year, he passed for 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He was voted to the Pro Bowl 9 times. He won one Super Bowl, and that would've been 2 if the Seahawks just would've just given "the ball to the guy they call 'BeastMode' from the 1-yard line."
Anyway, those are the numbers, but Wilson is more than that.
He gets it. Always among the first onto the practice field, and always among the last to leave it. Wilson's work ethic gives him a credibility with all of his teammates, and he uses the platform to encourage and mentor. Russell Wilson is a leader because he is an example of what a professional looks like and what it takes to become one. He's willing to fulfill the obligations that come with being the starting quarterback on an NFL team, and he performs them joyously.
He gives the media a lot of his time, which means his teammates end up getting away with giving up less of theirs. Wilson signed autographs and spent time with fans on a regular basis at Saint Vincent College while entering and leaving the practice fields. He talks openly about his respect for the Steelers franchise and the fans, about "just to have the honor to wear the jersey," and it's not just lip service.
After the 9-3 loss to the Bills, Wilson sat behind the microphone and answered questions in a way that found the sweet spot between pleasing his bosses and encouraging his teammates.
"This will be my 13th year, and every preseason is different," he said. "There's highs, there's lows, you have great practices, which we've had a lot of those – guys have been working their tails off every day. We had a great practice on Thursday. So there's a lot of good that goes unseen sometimes, and there are some things that we also have to fix and get right. That's the diligence that we have to have. We have a sense of urgency, every week, every day you step into the building, every day you step into the white lines, and that's what we're going to do."
There certainly is room for improvement. The offensive line is still developing, but the individuals are all young and talented and combine that with a finisher's mentality. Broderick Jones will get better. Troy Fautanu will get healthier. Zach Frazier will get more experienced. And there is depth there. Not bottomless depth but more than most teams enjoy.
With that should come a more effective and consistent running game. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren both are quite capable of running angry if given a clean path to the line of scrimmage and then a crease to exploit. When that blossoms into a running game that demands the opponent's respect, the passing lanes will become far less congested. It's a proven formula, but it's nothing but talk until it produces results on the field.
Again with the encouraging leadership, Wilson said, "I think the sense of urgency is always high. If we scored three, four touchdowns, the sense of urgency still should be high. I think that's where you can't be tricked and fooled. You have to be able to understand it's a long process, and it's a process that you've got to enjoy. It's going to be hard, and that part of it, just to win -- it's ugly sometimes. It's tough. It's challenging. It's worth it, though. We're going to do the work.
"It's early, and we've just got to keep our heads down and keep learning, study the film as much as we possibly can, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to get better. This week we're going to have a great week of practice."
Because that's what professionals do. That's what gives this offense a chance. And that's why these Steelers have a chance if they develop an actual NFL offense to pair with a defense that has dynamic players who have a proven record as game-wreckers.
But this isn't microwave oatmeal. It's going to be a process, and it's in their favor to have the right people in place. This could turn out be an interesting season.
