Kenny Pickett says struggling Steelers offense looking for an identity

Steelers fans who are loudly complaining about the team, Kenny Pickett sees your point. The quarterback proclaimed “no one wants to see that offense out there.”

The Steelers next game is on the road against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. It’s also in primetime, with millions watching on Sunday Night Football. And if this current Steelers offense shows up, people may want to flip the channel.

Sure, Pittsburgh beat the Browns, 26-22, last Monday. It definitely was an improvement from the week one, when the Steelers lost to the 49ers, 30-7. But dig into the box score from the win over the Browns. The offense scored only one touchdown. They didn’t score any points in the red zone. And, the offense was outscored by their own defense. Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt both scored via turnover. In fact, they book-ended the scoring.

Kenny Pickett believes the Steelers have lacked an offensive identity so far this season.

“We’ve got to find it. Clearly, we don’t have one,” Pickett said this week when he met with reporters at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

“It’s a team game, the ultimate team game. One guy does something wrong on a play as an offense, it usually doesn’t go your way. So, we’ve got to stay together. Don’t let the popcorn effect happen, which is one guy on each play.”

But the offensive numbers are harsh. Pickett is last in the NFL in QB passer ratings. Overall, the Steelers are averaging a meager 247 total yards a game. That ranks next-to-last in the NFL, ahead of only the Bengals.

“I just want to get back to playing offense the way we know we can play it,” Kenny Pickett said. “Running the football, having the play-action of it, getting the guys the ball downfield. It just seems we’re missing an element of that in the two times we’ve been out.

“We want to be balanced. We have great backs. We’ve got the offensive line. We’ve got receivers. We have the pieces to be balanced. We haven’t been that yet. When we become that, we’ll be the offense we want to be.”

Starting tailback Najee Harris has surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his first two years. However, he’s gained a total of 74 rushing yards in two games. Coach Mike Tomlin said this week that Harris’ performance “hasn’t been what we desired.” That’s why he plans to give Jaylen Warren more touches. The running back accounted for 86 yards for the Steelers against the Browns. He ran six times for 20 yards. Then he caught four passes for 66.

Kenny Pickett is sure that the offense can turn it around.

“I see these guys work,” the quarterback said. “I know what we can do. When you watch the tape, you see things that aren’t us. We want to be perfect out there. You’re never going to be perfect, but that’s what you’re pushing for.”