Quarterback Mitch Trubisky has not had the best first two games as the Pittsburgh Steelers starter. He is not making deep throws and is working with a short field so far in 2022.
Trubisky is aware he is not throwing downfield as much as he could and admitted he should be doing more to give the Steelers more opportunities.
"It's there, and we had our opportunities," Trubisky said, per NFL.com. "I think earlier, I can take shots downfield. I think I can look for [No.] 14 more often, George [Pickens]. He's doing a great job for us, and I just gotta get these playmakers the football. Whatever route they're running, I just gotta get them the ball. It really comes down to me making better decisions, being aggressive and putting ourselves in that position."
Trubiksy has receivers Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and rookie George Pickens, along with tight end Pat Freiermuth to chose from.
In the win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 and the Week 2 loss against the New England Patriots, Trubisky has 362 yards passing with a completion rating of 59.2%, two touchdowns and one interception.
He ranks last in yards per attempt average (minimum 30 attempts) at 5.1 yards, via Next Gen Stats. On passes over 20-plus yards, he is 2-for-8. Round it out with a 76.1 quarterback rating, and you have a quarterback who clearly needs to make some changes.
Head coach Mike Tomlin was asked about Trubisky and whether he could be more aggressive with the ball.
"I think he could. And we could," Tomlin said, via ESPN. "We haven't scored enough points here the last couple of weeks, but that's a collective, not just the quarterback position, not just the players."
Tomlin is not just blaming Trubisky for the struggles and said it is on everyone to play better.
"It's all of us are responsible for ringing up the scoreboard. We don't seek comfort. We don't try to quell the noise, to be quite honest with you. We don't care about the noise," he said. "We're just working on the things that are within our control to have good days to continue the progression of this group from a developmental standpoint, knowing that the outcome is going to be what we desire."
If Trubisky continues to struggle, or starts struggling even more, questions on whether the team would go with rookie backup Kenny Pickett could arise.
Trubisky will have the chance to prove he can elevate his play on "Thursday Night Football" when the Steelers head to Cleveland to face the 1-1 Browns.
