If you thought the offensive line had a miserable showing in Jacksonville, it didn't get any better for them two days later.
Coach Mike Tomlin tore into offensive line during a film review for their performance in Saturday night's preseason victory against the Jaguars, criticizing their run blocking and failure to protect any of the three quarterbacks. In particular, some of his displeasure was directed at left guard Kendrick Green, who was singled out after easily getting beat several times in the game.
"As he should have," right tackle Chuks Okorafor said. "We didn't have a good game at all."
"We expected it," center Mason Cole said. "It was well deserved."
"It's what was expected," said right guard James Daniels. "We didn't play well as a group."
One week after rushing for 187 yards in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, the Steelers looked more like the team that ranked last in the league in rushing in 2021 in Jacksonville. They managed just 24 yards on 14 carries, with 21 of the yards coming on an 11-yard jet sweep by receiver Steven Sims and a 10-yard scramble by quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
The pass protection wasn't much better, especially when Trubisky and Kenny Pickett were in the game in the first half. Trubisky spent three series running for his life, escaping heavy pressure several times and still managing to get off throws. Pickett got drilled on a pass attempt when Green all but gave defensive lineman Arden Key a free lane to the quarterback.
Mason Rudolph was the victim of the Jaguars' only sack, but he was also pressured into a quick throw from the end zone in which he was called for intentional grounding, resulting in a safety.
"When you look at the film, it's someone every play," Okorafor said. "If it's me, if it's the guard, if it's the tackle, if it's center, I feel like it's someone every play. We have to improve on that."
What's most disturbing about the performance is that the Steelers invested a lot of money in free agency to improve the offensive line, signing Daniels ($26.5 million) and Cole ($15.75 million) in free agency and re-signing Okorafor ($29.25 million). The changes also included moving Green from center back to guard, the position he played predominantly in college.
Green's protection gaffes against the Jaguars were obvious — they have been the object of many views on social media — but they were highlighted (low-lighted?) in the team meeting for all to see. He said he was beaten several times in the game.
That may not be a good thing for Green, who has been involved in a position battle with Kevin Dotson at left guard.
"The natural reaction is to get in the fetal position," Green said. "But you have to own it. You put it on film. It's more than just the people in our room watching this. There are 31 other teams watching it. Your peers see that. They'll come at you with the same things."
Cole said the linemen were using the same technique in pass protection against the Jaguars that they used against the Seahawks, but "for whatever reason, it was off." Daniels agreed, saying the problems are a matter of technique, not scheme. Okorafor added that it is all very fixable.
For the money the Steelers invested in the line, it needs to be.
"We didn't perform like we should and we're paid to do," Cole said. "The only thing we can do now is bounce back. We've got no other choice. We're going to have good games and bad games as a team, as an offense, as an offensive line, throughout the year. We got the right people in the room to do that. We got the right coaching staff. And we will."
