Justin Fields dragged the entire Steelers offense after another touchdown-less game

The Pittsburgh Steelers paid homage to Matt Canada in Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields combined for 139 passing yards and zero touchdowns, which we can only interpret as a tip of the cap to their predecessor. Kenny Pickett would be proud.

There's plenty of 'time is a flat circle' talk around the Steelers fandom these days. It's only the preseason, so all judgements should include a grain of salt, but Pittsburgh sure does not look the part of a meaningfully improved offensive team. The 'QB battle' between Fields and Wilson has been more of a light shoving match, with neither doing much to stake their claim.

Ultimately, the Steelers will need to decide what is more important — Wilson's experience and distant history of winning, or Fields' youth and long-term potential. Neither is signed beyond this season, but with Fields, there is at least a chance he can develop into an enduring solution to the Pittsburgh QB crisis. Wilson is more of a temporary gambit, rooted more in his past accomplishments than his current prowess.

The Steelers' offense looks a mess. Arthur Smith does not have his full complement of weapons yet, and Jaylen Warren's injury severely kneecaps Pittsburgh's ground attack. But, on the whole, there is enough reason to start getting antsy in Steel City. Perhaps this team has not made the necessary improvements in a competitive AFC North landscape.

After Saturday's loss, Justin Fields basically threw the entire offense under the bus (himself included).

"If you don’t end a drive in points, none of it matters,” Fields said (h/t Steelers Wire). “So score touchdowns, I think that’s the biggest thing."

Steelers need to score touchdowns, says Justin Fields

Thank you for this incisive analysis, Mr. Fields.

Touchdowns and the Steelers offense have been mortal enemies for a while, so Fields' efforts to bridge that gap are commendable. Pittsburgh is relying heavily upon the alleged upgrade of Arthur Smith in the OC role. Considering how frequently he bungled the immense talent of the Atlanta Falcons' offense, I am not sure that was a smart bet.

Fields entered the NFL with high expectations, but he could never quite put the pieces together in Chicago. The Steelers acquired him for pennies on the dollar and he's quite possibly in pole position to start Week 1 of the regular season, depending on your Russ Wilson perspective. The Steelers are relying on two serially underperforming QBs to turn this offense around, though. Maybe Pittsburgh should have maneuvered more aggressively to land a substantial upgrade. Kirk Cousins was right there, folks.

Alas, the Steelers need to figure something out with the current group. Whether that's trading for Brandon Aiyuk or more patiently exploring other avenues, it's clear the current iteration of Pittsburgh's roster won't get far. Mike Tomlin is always a strong bet to make the playoffs, but the Steelers probably envision themselves accomplishing more than another Wild Card exit.