If you weren't exactly enamored with the Patriots' offense in the opening loss to the Dolphins — seven points scored, seven points allowed, 271 total yards, 78 yards rushing, 193 net passing yards — then hold onto your butts: you're about to see a Steelers unit that, in many ways, is worse.
Pittsburgh had 10 possessions in regulation. Their longest drives: 57, 32 and 17 net yards. That's it.
Pittsburgh certainly has talent with receivers Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, running back Najee Harris and tight end Pat Freiermuth.
The only problem? They can't get to it because of offensive line, quarterback and scheme — probably in that order.
The Steelers are a very rough watch on offense, and as long as the Patriots don't have a bust like they had last week on fourth down against the Dolphins, they should be able to serve this game up to their own struggling offense on a silver platter.
What are the issues? We'll provide video analysis for the offense and defense, but these are the big things that stand out:
Offensive line
They're awful — run, pass, you name it. The Patriots have talent, but are dealing with issues with their schemes and a few bad plays. The Steelers don't have any talent at this point and can't execute. Can't come close to running the ball in inside the 5-yard line.
QB Mitch Trubisky
The guy has always had talent — he can run really well, and he can make all the throws with a strong arm. But he doesn't see the field well, doesn't like going down the middle of the field and is a pick-six waiting to happen on out routes. He almost got sacked for a safety against the Steelers and then went into a shell after that.
The scheme
With no Ben Roethlisberger, coordinator Matt Canada — who spent several years coordinating in college — has gone full HS/college spread with a mobile QB. There is constant motion — real and ghost motion — and a ton of end arounds and deceptive plays to get cheap yardage (they ran a flea flicker where the RB and WR both handled the ball before getting it back to Trubisky).
It's a lot to prepare for, to be sure, and the Patriots will have to spend a lot of time on it at practice, but at the end of the day, it's just a bunch of smoke and mirrors designed to camouflage their line and QB. It's annoying to watch and a pain for the defense.
If the Steelers get to their regular offense, the Patriots will have to be on alert for the Steelers' size mismatch: Claypool (6-4.5), Johnson (5-10) and Pickens (6-3) all can exploit the Patriots' small cornerbacks ... if they can even pass the ball.
DEFENSE
The Bengals, who know the Steelers well being in the division, did a lot of shotgun spread, including from empty. Will the Patriots feel confident doing that? Will they put four receivers on the field?
The benefit of going spread against the Steelers is that you can see their pressures coming better. The Bengals still couldn't block it, but I have much more faith in the Patriots — the line does not lack for talent, just reps and confidence.
Avoiding TJ Watt (pectoral) is huge, but there are still playmakers on all three level of the defense. DT Cam Heyward is still elite and you worry about a possible matchup with Cole Strange. Huge test. Alex Highsmith, Watt's running mate on the other side, is explosive and had six pressures (three sacks) against the Bengals but doesn't have Watt getting extra attention. I freaking love LB Myles Jack, who makes their Tampa 2 coverage sing. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the league's best, and Terrell Edmunds is a thumper. CB Cameron Sutton had a great pick of Joe Burrow, to go along with Fitzpatrick's pick-six.
And, of course, there's the very real Brian Flores factor. He loves to stick it to the Patriots, and knows how to attack their protections.
The Patriots blocking the Steelers' pressure is going to be a huge key in this game.
Mac Jones misses practice due to illness: After dealing with a back injury on Sunday, Jones had to sit out Thursday's session due to an illness, but it's not going to affect his status for the Steelers' game. Still, it's not great — especially because this offense needs as much practice as possible — to have the starting QB miss an important day where third downs are simulated.