In a stunning turn of events, it appears that there may be more to the story than meets the eye in the latest game for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After an abysmal performance in Week 5’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster found himself on the sideline for only 35 offensive snaps. This marked a career-low for Smith-Schuster in terms of offensive snaps played in any NFL game, whether regular season or postseason, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
Head coach Mike Tomlin was quick to address the situation, claiming that Smith-Schuster’s limited playing time was due to “snap management” rather than any disciplinary action or underlying issues. However, the lackluster performance of the Steelers’ offense against the Cowboys raises questions about the coaching staff’s handling of the situation.
“If there’s not more to this story, then it reflects poorly on the coaching staff,” remarked one anonymous source within the organization. Despite managing to avoid turnovers through the air, the Steelers struggled to move the ball effectively, averaging just 4.3 yards per pass attempt compared to the Cowboys’ 7.6.
The loss to the Cowboys proved costly for the Steelers in the AFC North standings, as they now find themselves tied with the Baltimore Ravens at 3-2. The Ravens currently hold the top spot in the division thanks to a 1-0 record in divisional play following their win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. With crucial division matchups still ahead, the Steelers will need to regroup quickly if they hope to reclaim their lead in the AFC North.
