The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been mostly inconsistent during the 2023 season. However, through Week 10, they seemed to be showing some minor improvements each week. Then the offense stalled out entirely against the Cleveland Browns during Week 11. One of the chief issues seemed to be communication between quarterback Kenny Pickett and the wide receivers, especially Diontae Johnson. Now, one of their teammates is speaking about the breakdown in communication.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was tackled after one of his two catches against the Cleveland Browns.
Pickett and the majority of the offense looked dull and out of sync. While the Browns might have the best defense in the NFL, they did not even have to break a sweat. The Steelers fell back on their old, predictable, sophomoric style of play-calling.
On top of what appeared to be shoddy play calls, Pickett seemed to struggle to see the field. He made more than one poor decision and missed multiple open receivers. Now the breakdown in communication has been thrust into the spotlight by Johnson himself. In response to Johnson's insistence that he was in the right place at the right time, the media asked backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky after practice about the offensive communication. He said that Pickett and Johnson have to work this out, according to a video shared on Twitter/X by 93.7 The Fan.
"They gotta get on the same page. I know what happened, but I'm not gonna disclose what happened, but they gotta get on the same page. I'm not gonna say whose fault it was, or who's at fault. I mean, when the play doesn't work, it's everybody's fault, including me, them, and everybody on this team," remarked Trubisky.
Johnson's outburst came in response to a tweet by reporter Mike Frazer. Frazer broke down some film of Johnson and said that Johnson blew an "elementary read," he just did not see it properly. The receiver barked back that he ran the route he was supposed to run and implied the media would say anything for likes. Trubisky said there is enough blame to go around.
"We just gotta all buy in, point the thumb at yourself, look in the mirror, and say, 'How can I get better? How can I help my teammates on the sidelines? How can I help everyone get more focused throughout the week so we're executing at a high level and everybody's on the same page?'"
Johnson was limited during the game to only two catches for 16 yards. It isn't just an issue between Pickett and the vet, he also struggles to connect with young star, George Pickens. During Pickett's career, he has thrown a meager 13 touchdowns and (13 interceptions) in only 23 games. Trubisky's comments hint at a larger communication problem.
"We just weren't on the same page and that's why we missed a couple of those, couldn't connect any big shots down the field and it hurt our offense. Complaining about it is not gonna do anything. We got to lock in and focus and look at how we can fix this, how can we get better."
Pittsburgh's offense ranks near the bottom of the league, with only four teams performing worse. The Steelers has amassed only 2,801 yards in total offense this season, which averages to 280.1 per game. They have scored only 166 points over 10 games, an average of 16.6 a game.
Steelers' Diontae Johnson Clearly Angry During Browns Game
During the game against the Browns, Johnson was clearly visible venting his frustrations to Head Coach Mike Tomlin. It is not surprising that Johnson is shocked and angered by the state of the Steelers offense.
Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hugs Diontae Johnson after a big play.
Johnson has been scratching and clawing his way back into being a factor in games ever since the retirement of future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Johnson saw his production drop since catching for both Trubisky and Pickett. After a preseason that showed fans the Steelers offense they had been longing for, the regular season smacked a bit of reality into everyone.
During the Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers, not only did the Steelers offense look abysmal, but Johnson suffered a hamstring injury that would keep him out for several weeks. Upon returning, it felt like we were seeing more of what we expected from him, he even scored his first touchdown since 2021 during the Steelers' win over the Tennessee Titans.
Matt Freed / Associated Press
Steelers' Kenny Pickett (#8) and Diontae Johnson (#18) celebrate a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.
What exactly is the major malfunction of the Steelers' offense isn't quite clear. It is easy to place all the blame on Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada, Pickett, or even Johnson. The reality is likely closer to what Trubisky hinted at, the two need to get themselves on the same page. If they don't work out the communication problems they are suffering, it is hard to imagine this team making any kind of run into the postseason.
What do you think about Trubisky's comments? Where do you think the responsibility lies? Click to comment below!
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