Practice habits are biggest change Mike Tomlin will make on heels of Steelers' 24-point loss

Mike Tomlin promised changes. And they’re coming … in the way the Pittsburgh Steelers practice.

Two days after saying he wasn’t going to maintain the status quo after a 30-6 loss at Houston, Tomlin said his players will don pads for the first time in three weeks Wednesday when the Steelers begin on-field preparation for their game Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

The shift in practice attire won’t whet the appetite of a fan base clamoring for a bigger shakeup — at offensive coordinator or in personnel — but it is what Tomlin offered as one solution Tuesday at his weekly news conference.

Tomlin said the Steelers weren’t physical and didn’t play hard enough in their 24-point road loss to the Texans, their second defeat of at least 20 points in four games.

“The physicality component of it needs to be non-negotiable,” Tomlin said. “That’s just how we function. That’s Pittsburgh Steelers football.”

The Steelers didn’t practice in pads in either of the previous two weeks. That was attributed to a short week following a Monday night game against Cleveland and travel issues following the team’s game at Las Vegas that contributed to another week in which Tomlin had his players practice in helmets and shorts.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement allows teams to practice 11 times in pads over the first 11 weeks of the season.

“We better utilize it,” Tomlin said. “We better carry our pads tomorrow, and we better make good use of that because of who we are playing.”

The Ravens (3-1) occupy first place in the AFC North and are a game ahead of the Steelers (2-2) and Cleveland Browns (2-2). Although Tomlin said he is open to “dividing the labor up more finely” among position groups in practice this week, any potential changes will be a result of injuries and not performance.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett, coming off the lowest passer rating of his 16 career starts, will start against Baltimore if his left knee injury doesn’t limit his practice availability. Rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones will start at left tackle because of a concussion to Dan Moore Jr., and rookie defensive lineman Keeanu Benton could start ahead of DeMarvin Leal, who is in concussion protocol.

The only changes Tomlin outlined on the NFL-mandated injury report were minor: Calvin Austin is listed as the starter at one wide receiver spot ahead of Gunner Olszewski, Benton is now a co-starter with Leal, and Desmond King is a co-starter at slot corner. King also is officially the kickoff returner instead of Olszewski.

As for the coaching staff, Tomlin continues to support offensive coordinator Matt Canada even though the offense has scored four touchdowns in as many games. The Steelers are tied for No. 25 in points and rank No. 29 in total yards.

Asked whether he will divide up any of the play-calling responsibilities on offense, Tomlin responded, “Not at this juncture.”

Still, he is not happy with the direction his offense has taken in the first month of the season.

“Man, not good enough,” he said. “Not good enough. Whenever we don’t play well — forget win or lose — whenever we don’t play well, as a coach, you start there. That is where we always start.”

On defense, the Steelers are allowing more than 400 yards a game and rank No. 30 in total defense. Only three teams are giving up more rushing yards, and the secondary allowed six pass plays of at least 22 yards against Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

“They played harder than us,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got to tip our cap to them for that, but we’ve got to rectify that.”

Despite the way the offense and defense performed in Houston, Tomlin said a commitment from his players is not an issue. And so the biggest change for the Steelers this week will come in the way they they prepare to face the Ravens.

“I work with them every day,” he said. “It’s my job to have a pulse of the group. In the midst of that game, I’m standing on the sidelines saying, ‘We’re practicing in pads on Wednesday.’”