The Steelers are now 1-2, having lost to the Bengals at Heinz Field for the first time since 2015 on Sunday.
But head coach Mike Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference that his team is going to stay the course.
“We’re not going to push the panic button,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “What do I mean by the panic button? We’re not going to dramatically change who and what we are at this juncture.
“We’re not resistant to change for the purposes of getting better, but we’re not going to be so unsteady that we move away from our compass, our identity that we’ve worked hard to develop — and will continue to work hard to develop — and the emphasis on the style of play, whatever that may be in all three phases.”
After beating Buffalo in Week One, the Steelers have suffered consecutive losses to Las Vegas and Cincinnati. The club’s run game, which was supposed to improve with the addition of first-round pick Najee Harris, has generated only 159 yards. That figure ranks last in the league.
If there’s reason to believe Pittsburgh can turn things around, it’s Tomlin. Since he became head coach in 2007, the Steelers haven’t finished a season with a losing record.
But with a noticeably aging quarterback and tougher competitions in the AFC North, there’s a possibility that this is the year the streak comes to an end.