PITTSBURGH — Two weeks into the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ season, quarterback Mitch Trubisky hears the calls to open up the passing recreation. And he needs to reply the bell.
“I wish to throw the ball down the sphere,” he mentioned Tuesday. “Why I have not given the sure seems, particularly throughout the recreation, I can not inform you precisely. However we’re in search of that. I am in search of that.”
Trubisky is averaging 5.1 yards per try this season, second worst within the league solely to injured Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
One factor that might assist the Steelers’ passing recreation starting with Thursday night time’s showdown in Cleveland is involving rookie broad receiver George Pickens. The Georgia product impressed in coaching camp and the preseason, however to date, he has solely six targets, two receptions and 26 yards.
“I believe I might search for 14 extra usually, George [Pickens],” Trubisky mentioned. “He is doing a fantastic job for us, and I’ve simply acquired to get these playmakers the soccer, whether or not it is no matter on the market working, I’ve simply acquired to get them the ball. It actually comes all the way down to me making higher selections, being aggressive and giving, placing us ourselves in that place.”
For a second recreation in a row, the passing recreation was stagnant. Monday, Mike Tomlin preached endurance within the growing offense — however he additionally mentioned that each the quarterback and the playcalls may very well be extra aggressive.
“Clearly there’s alternatives down the sphere that we have got to make,” offensive coordinator Matt Canada mentioned. “… we’re gonna hold getting Mitch in place to make performs. And we’ve got to do this. We’ll proceed to do this till we win.
“… We’ve got to make performs. We’ve got to name performs. It is all of us, till we produce sufficient on offense. I am in cost. and I am nice with that. It is 11 guys doing their job, together with all of us as coaches. We by no means gonna level a finger wherever.”
Extensive receiver Chase Claypool believes his unit is near having all of it collectively.
“Our offense is not lifeless within the water,” Claypool mentioned. “It is only a couple various things occur within the recreation. Even like two completely different, two performs, two huge performs that the offense makes and possibly nobody’s speaking concerning the offense, as a result of these [plays] may very well be 50, 60 yards apiece. I believe we have simply acquired to belief the plan.”
For Trubisky, it is about trusting himself and balancing performs that might give his unit a spark with ones that may very well be to its detriment. “There is a nice line between defending the soccer, and also you eager to be aggressive,” mentioned Trubisky, who added he does not have the flexibility to name audibles on some performs. “So that you need to be aggressive as a quarterback, however when you’ve a fantastic protection, you additionally need to defend your soccer, as a result of they’re at all times going to maintain us in video games.”
The Steelers might additionally combine in a tempo offense, which helped them rating their lone landing within the second half.
“I am snug with it,” Trubisky mentioned of utilizing tempo offense. “You have simply acquired to select and select if you use it. I assumed the time we used it within the recreation, it labored properly. So if we use it extra usually, that is as much as the coaches.”
