Stephen A. Smith Puts Steelers’ Offense on Blast, Predicts Last-Place Finish

It's only the NFL preseason, but concerns are already mounting about the Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly regarding their offense and the team's new quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

The Steelers lost 9-3 on Friday to the Buffalo Bills, falling to 0-2 in the preseason. While it's difficult to put much stock in preseason football, given Pittsburgh's offensive struggles over the past few seasons, it's easy to understand why critics like First Take's Stephen A. Smith are calling them "awful."

"The Steelers looked awful offensively. They looked absolutely awful," Smith said. "I'm very, very disgusted by what I saw."

The Steelers hedging their bets by bringing in not just one starting quarterback but two, with Wilson and Fields, didn't seem that ridiculous, especially considering how bad the quarterback room was last year with Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitchell Trubisky.

However, after seeing both quarterbacks in action—particularly with Wilson coming off a calf injury—neither one has eased the doubts in Pittsburgh that this offense might once again struggle.

Wilson started on Friday, playing five series and completing 8 of 10 passes for 47 yards but was sacked three times. Fields, who played five series as well, looked somewhat better, completing 11 of 17 passes for 92 yards and adding 42 rushing yards.

"Here's what really resonates with me," Smith said about Wilson's performance. "I'm thinking about the fact that you took those three sacks, you're still holding onto the ball a little too long. Why is that relevant? Because that's why Sean Payton couldn't stand him. That's why Sean Payton ran him out of Denver. That's why Denver didn't hesitate to push him out of the Mile High City, even though they owe him $37.8 million."

Since Wilson came over from the Seattle Seahawks in a trade to the Denver Broncos in 2022, he hasn't looked the same. In his one season under Sean Payton after Nathaniel Hackett was fired, he showed minimal signs of improvement, but the relationship deteriorated before the season ended, leading to his eventual release. Wilson was hoping that a change of scenery in Pittsburgh would do him good.

However, the issues may not be entirely on the two new quarterbacks. Some are equally concerned about new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the former Atlanta Falcons head coach.

Smith was once considered one of the top offensive minds in the NFL after reviving Ryan Tannehill's career and turning Derrick Henry into the best running back in the league with the Tennessee Titans. But after three seasons with the Falcons, where the teams had pedestrian offenses, some worry that those struggles will carry over to the Steelers.

"I've never said this before because I believe in Mike Tomlin so much," Smith said while speaking to Shannon Sharpe. "But the Steelers have last place written all over them. I don't see how they get out of this."

Smith's reasoning isn't just about the Steelers' poor offensive play but also the talent spread across the AFC North. The division boasts two of the best quarterbacks in football, Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow, each surrounded by a wealth of skill position players. Burrow has wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, while Jackson has Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, and Mark Andrews.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns aren't too bad themselves, with their strength coming from a defense that helped them get back to the playoffs last season. If Deshaun Watson is healthy, the offense should be stellar again.

The Steelers have their work cut out for them in 2024. They finished third in the division last year but haven't finished in last place since 1988.