The Pittsburgh Steelers can't seem to escape a week this season without some kind of drama going on with a wide receiver. George Pickens has made his frustration well known, even if he's tried to back off from them publicly, and Head Coach Mike Tomlin called his antics on social media a non-issue. Since returning from a hamstring issue, Diontae Johnson didn't have much to complain about until the Week 11's 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns. The 2021 Pro Bowler was contributing to winning football games against the Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans, and Green Bay Packers, including scoring his first touchdown since he had Ben Roethlisberger throwing him the football.
Courtney Culbreath / Getty Images
Diontae Johnson (#18) makes a move against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 preseason.
Things have been a little different for Johnson when the team loses. He attacked the officials in his postgame press availability after Pittsburgh's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and received a hefty fine from the league. During the loss to the Browns, he was seen having a heated discussion with Tomlin on the sidelines. Johnson finished the game with 16 yards on two receptions on eight targets and was seemingly on a different page than quarterback Kenny Pickett on several throws. He addressed the communication disconnect with Pickett when he met with the media on Monday.
"We've just got to make it right at practice. That's where it starts," Johnson said. "Stuff like that happens. I can't fault him, he's not perfect. I can't sit here and blame him. I'm not pointing fingers at anybody."
The longest-tenured member of the Steelers receiving room admitted he was frustrated, which is understandable given the lack of plays made in the passing game on Sunday. For Johnson, it was the fourth worst yards per target he has posted since entering the league in 2019, according to Pro Football Reference.
"It's frustrating because we know how good we are," he said. "To just keep starting the game the way we've been and obviously not progressing or whatever, it's like what can we do? We gotta just keep playing. It's all we can do because we can't sit here and just look for excuses."
Two plays were of particular interest, but Johnson wouldn't elaborate other than it was a communication issue. As for his spirited conversation with Tomlin on the sideline, he wouldn't give much detail.
"You all seen the game. I shouldn’t have to say anything about that,” via Joe Rutter of TribLive.
How Can The Steelers Figure Out Struggling Passing Attack?
As Johnson implied, there's a ton of talent on this team when it comes to receivers. Johnson and Pickens are the two main targets, but they have only caught four touchdowns so far in 2023. Tight end Pat Freiermuth had two scores before he landed on injured reserve for a five-game stretch. He had just one catch on a screen pass that he took for seven yards against the Browns. Running back Jaylen Warren, when he is in, has turned into a security blanket receiver for Pickett and is third behind Pickens and Johnson for targets to this point in 2023.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren might be Pittsburgh's best option running the football, but has also used his skills as a receiver to help Kenny Pickett in 2023.
The Steelers tried to equip themselves with other options in the passing game in the 2023 offseason. They added Allen Robinson in a trade with the Rams and were excited about the prospects of Calvin Austin III. Unfortunately, neither has provided the spark Pittsburgh was looking for in totality. Austin holds the crown for Pittsburgh's longest reception of the season, scoring a 72-yard touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. Robinson has been a reliable third-down option for Pickett, but he still hasn't hit 200 yards receiving on the season and has no scores.
The elephant in the room here is Pickett, who has noticeably struggled with several things necessary to playing quarterback in the NFL this season after his nearly flawless preseason. He's only completed 60.5% of throws in 2023 and has one game with multiple passing touchdowns. Now, the Steelers want to be a run-heavy team, so some of the passing stats will skew lower as they did in his rookie season, but they have to be able to pass when they need to, and that's been a problem. Maybe it's time for him to sit on the bench for a rest. He has been dealing with a rib injury and a knee injury this year, but Pittsburgh can't afford for this to continue.
What do you think the biggest problem with the passing game is? Are receivers like Johnson and Pickens right to be frustrated with how things have gone so far? Comment below!
#SteelerNation
