Diontae Johnson had another pass hit off his hands and it turned into an interception Sunday, but he certainly didn't drop the ball when asked about what is ailing the Steelers.
"Obviously, it's a rebuilding year," he said.
Johnson attempted to clarify his comments at a Monday media availability, but what he said Sunday about rebuilding is what needed to be said — because it is the truth.
The Steelers' loss to the Jets Sunday wasn't a fluke. It wasn't a bad game.
It also wasn't Matt Canada's fault. It wasn't Mitch Trubisky's fault. It wasn't Kenny Pickett's fault. It wasn't the defense's fault. It wasn't Mike Tomlin's fault. It wasn't the fault of an injury to T.J. Watt. It wasn't Johnson's fault. It wasn't even the fault of Jets quarterback Zach Wilson or anyone else.
The Steelers are going through very natural growing pains, the kind associated with a team that is rebuilding. I am glad Johnson said it, and hopefully people will embrace it.
This is a team that is rebuilding and needs to be rebuilt in a lot of areas. Maybe Pickett makes the offense better and Watt returning makes the defense better, but if you think that is all that stands between the Steelers and a return to glory, you are sadly mistaken.
Pickett looks like he has everything it takes to be a really good quarterback in the NFL, maybe even a star. He has swag, he has guts, he is tough, he can make every pass, he is athletic, and the guys respond to him. He is also a rookie and has a long, bumpy road ahead before he is ready to be that guy.
If you are confused, take a look at the rookie season of just about every star quarterback, and take a look at the growing pains they went through. It is a hard league to step into and tear up.
And yes, Ben Roethlisberger was 13-0 in his rookie year, but he also had the league's best defense, one of the league's best offensive lines and a great running game. Roethlisberger's first three or four years were far more successful because of the guys around him than him, and all he had to do was manage the game, make some big plays here and there, and not put the defense in a bad spot.
Pickett doesn't have that luxury, so let's end any comparisons right there.
The Steelers' vaunted defense is way overrated and has some very easy flaws to spot. The offensive line has been better than we thought, but that is a very low bar for it to overcome — and the line took a huge step backward on Sunday.
The run game is not dominant — not even particularly good — and so Pickett will have to make plays in order for the offense to win. He is capable of making plays, but again, that's asking a lot of a rookie quarterback who is likely to make some mistakes.
The quarterback position is the one position that likely is already built for the future success. It is all of the other positions around Pickett that are concerning.
The secondary has one superstar (Minkah Fitzpatrick) and a lot of other players who are rather ordinary. I have never seen a dominant defense that isn't excellent in the secondary. The cornerbacks are mostly pedestrian and there isn't a difference maker or a lockdown corner in the bunch.
The defensive line is anchored by Cam Heyward, a bonafide superstar and dominant player ... who also happens to be 33 and on the back nine of his career. Is there a replacement on the roster? And the rest of the defensive line is not exactly loaded with stars, either.
Johnson is a member of an "elite" receiving corps that never seems to play at an elite level. Steelers quarterbacks threw four interceptions Sunday. One was a Hail Mary at the end of the game, but the other three all hit receivers/tight end in the hands first. They drop too many passes and they don't make enough plays.
Najee Harris is a good player, but I'm not sure he is the long-term solution the Steelers think he is, either.
All of this is a much better explanation for why the Steelers have lost three games in a row to quarterbacks Mac Jones, Jacoby Brissett and Zach Wilson. They just aren't very good, and the reason they aren't very good is they have a lot flaws and holes to fill.
This is a rebuilding team and a rebuilding year. The offense will definitely get a boost with Pickett, and Watt will clearly make a difference, but how much remains to be seen.
If you can't stop Jones, Brissett and Wilson without Watt, it tells me you are far more than one player away from being elite. If you can't block, can't run the ball with authority and can't catch, I am not sure how much a quarterback change is going to do for you when you have to match scores with the likes of Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
Rebuilding years can be difficult, and the rebuilding process isn't fun. But rebuilding is necessary and it also doesn't have to be a long drawn out process. The Steelers are rebuilding. It is time for everyone to face this fact and accept it.
