Former Player Blasts Steelers Offense, Makes Scary Prediction

The Steelers' offense received harsh criticism following their preseason loss to the Bills.

Aug 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward (83) hurdles Buffalo Bills safety Kendall Williamson (36) during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports / Barry Reeger-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers had a rough second preseason game. In a loss against the Buffalo Bills, the Steelers mustered just three points while looking thoroughly unimpressive. Through the team's first two preseason games, the offense is doing little to make anyone believe it will be better in 2024.

It wasn't just the Steelers' coaching staff who was displeased with their performance. The Steelers' were subject to criticism around the NFL world after their 9-3 loss to the Bills, with quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields taking the brunt of it.

Former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe is one of the most outspoken analysts in the media today. On his podcast, Nightcap, co-hosted by former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson, the duo spoke about the Steelers most recent preseason game. Sharpe, sticking to his usual bluntness, was anything but complimentary towards the Steelers' QB duo.

"The thing is that you see both of them make throws in practice," he said. "(Justin) Fields is playing unbelievable, Russell (Wilson) is making great throws, and then come game time, it's like, damn. Did y'all even practice? I mean, it was bad."

According to Sharpe, the Steelers need to make changes quickly. If this is any indication of what their regular season offense will look like, they easily miss the postseason.

"I don't wanna say they're gonna be 2-15," he said. "But boy, they gotta improve offensively."

Sharpe's words may sound harsh, but they are spot on. The Steelers' offense has been unimpressive through two preseason games, scoring a combined 15 points against the Bills and Houston Texans. They have another game against the Detroit Lions to wrap up their preseason, and it's likely their first unit will receive some game time to continue fine-tuning their offense.

The other part to balance for the Steelers is how much stock they are putting into preseason performance. These August games are for working through new players, new playbooks and schemes, and making mistakes. The Steelers have several new players, a new offensive coordinator, and are producing plenty of errors as they attempt to bring it all together. The regular season is still a few weeks away, but Sharpe's criticism should serve as a warning for the offense. If the Steelers turn out to be the Super Bowl contender they claim to be, it will be because their offensive performance is much better than its been during the preseason.

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