Steelers at Bills: Confidence 'Not Very High' in 1 Key Area

Buffalo's work in the clutch has bolstered self-belief. Pittsburgh's work, in too many departments, has manufactured self-doubt.

The Buffalo Bills do not have to "fake'' confidence. Their belief in their collective selves took form in Week 4 at Baltimore with a come-from-behind victory that was all about "battle scars.''

The Pittsburgh Steelers, meanwhile, enter a Week 5 visit to Orchard Park lacking in that same department ... and coach Mike Tomlin isn't very good at faking anything.

"Not very high," Tomlin said when asked about his confidence level.

Now, to be fair, Tomlin is specifically talking about his punt return game, which contributed grandly to the team's 2-2 record.

"You can't put two balls on the ground in two games and feel good about it,'' Tomlin said, answering frankly a question about Steelers return specialist Gunner Olszewski's bumbles. "Two is a pattern."

Olszewski, for the record, received All-Pro honors when averaging 17.3 yards per punt return in 2020 for the Patriots. But he also fumbled three times last season.

So, yeah, maybe a "pattern'' that the 3-1 Bills can exploit.

The disappointment in Pittsburgh - and, we will argue, a lack of confidence that probably extends beyond just the punt returner - figures to be wide-spread as they now turn to a rookie QB in Kenny Pickett making his first NFL start, as they struggle to get the running game going with budding star Najee Harris, and as the defense hangs on for dear life without injured star TJ Watt.

There are no "gimme'' games, even as the Josh Allen-led Bills are 13-point favorites. But there are trends. Buffalo's work in the clutch has bolstered self-belief. Pittsburgh's work, in too many departments, has manufactured self-doubt.

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