The Steelers have scored 19 points in two weeks, which made coach Mike Tomlin something of a master of the obvious at his Tuesday press conference when he was asked about why the team has lost its first two games.
“The most significant reason we’re 0-2 is we’re not scoring enough points,” Tomlin said, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Nineteen points in two football games is not going to win a lot of football in this league. If you would have told me we’d score 19 points through the first two ball games I would have told you we’d have an opportunity to 0-2. We understand that and we are working hard to rectify that.”
Tomlin singled out tackles Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams as players in need of stepping up their games, but said that he wouldn’t change his coaching style because of the rough start to the season.
He also talked about some help that might be on the way. Tight end Heath Miller is expected to participate fully in practice this week as he continues on the road back from a torn ACL. Running back Le’Veon Bell, who is recovering from a sprained foot, will also be doing more in practice this week, although there’s no sense that he’ll be as far along as Miller.
Neither player can cure everything that’s ailing the Steelers offense, but getting them back can’t hurt the efforts to rectify things after a slow start in Pittsburgh.