Steelers' Mike Tomlin recognizes offensive woes, booing fans - ESPN

PITTSBURGH — Less than 13 hours after a victory, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin admitted his offense wasn't playing up to the level it achieved in the preseason.

Through two games, the Steelers' offense is averaging 9.5 points per game and a league-low 12 first downs. On Monday night, Pittsburgh only had nine first downs and didn't run a single red zone play in a 26-22 victory against the Cleveland Browns.

And yet, Tomlin said the solution wasn't in making «knee-jerk» reactions to enact «wholesale changes.»

«We have to get our mojo back,» Tomlin said Tuesday. «We got to get that mojo that we had in the preseason where we're playing fast and fluid with confidence, individually and collectively. We've lost that, to be blunt, in the last several weeks.

»… We do acknowledge that two is a pattern. We've had two outings that are not up to snuff in that regard, and so it has our attention as we are preparing for this next one."

The 26 points scored by the Steelers without a red zone drive were the team's most in the past 45 years — and the most in the NFL since the Kansas City Chiefs had 27 vs. the New Orleans Saints in 2016.

The Steelers managed just one offensive touchdown in each of their first two games, a far cry from the five touchdowns scored on the first team's five preseason possessions. Pickett has been erratic so far this season, completing just 60.5% of his attempts — ahead of only starting quarterbacks Bryce Young, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, Deshaun Watson and Zach Wilson.

«He's done a lot of things well in preparation,» Tomlin said of Pickett. «He could play better — we all could play better — but procedurally I like what I see from him. And usually when a guy procedurally is in the right spot, the