Frustrated Tomlin promising changes
INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Tomlin is tired of losing.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their third straight game, 30-13 at Indianapolis on Saturday, he promised changes. Tomlin didn’t provide specifics in the immediate aftermath of another dismal offensive performance, but it looks like Pittsburgh could have a new starting quarterback this week at Cincinnati.
“Everything is on the table at this juncture. We cannot continue to play football like this,” said Tomlin, the Steelers’ 17th-year coach. The Denbigh High and William & Mary graduate has never finished with a losing record while guiding Pittsburgh.
“We’ve got to make changes and we need to do it immediately. We’re not going to roll the ball out next week like we did today.”
The simplest solution might be the return of quarterback Kenny Pickett, who had helped the Steelers stay in the playoff hunt despite leading one of the NFL’s lowest-scoring offenses. He has missed the last two games with a sprained right ankle. Tomlin has said Pickett could return next week.
If he can’t go, Tomlin must decide whether to stay with Mitch Trubisky, who started Pittsburgh’s last two games, or give a chance to Mason Rudolph, who relieved Trubisky late against the Colts.
Trubisky finished 16 of 23 for 169 yards. He threw one touchdown pass, was intercepted twice and was sacked three times. He also scored on a 1-yard plunge that was initially ruled a fumble but was overturned on a replay review.
After taking a 13-0 lead in the first 16 minutes, with one score coming after the Steelers recovered a blocked punt inside the Colts’ 1-yard line, Pittsburgh only had one more scoring chance — and Tomlin opted to punt instead of trying a 56-yard field goal.
The Steelers finished with 216 total yards, including 74 on the ground. Najee Harris had 12 carries for 33 yards.
Rudolph has started two games in four seasons, a 24-22 loss to Cleveland in the 2021 season finale and a 16-16 tie with Detroit in 2022. He was 2 of 3 for 3 yards Saturday.
But with the Steelers sinking to last place in the rugged AFC North and their scoring average dropping to 15.9 points per game, it’s clear they need a new direction.