Slow starts remain common thread that Steelers would like to change against Colts

The offensive coordinator and play-caller have changed. So has the quarterback.

A few things remain the same, however, for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they are deficiencies that Mitch Trubisky wants to correct Saturday in Indianapolis.

“Slow start,” Trubisky said. “I have to be better on third downs. Got to execute better and continue to get on the same page with these guys. Made some better plays in the second half, but it has to be better this week.”

Trubisky’s first start of the season didn’t begin all that differently from the ones orchestrated by Kenny Pickett — with or without Matt Canada as his offensive coordinator.

The Steelers got a field goal on their first possession but didn’t get a touchdown until their sixth. Before Trubisky threw that touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson, the Steelers were trailing by 18 points en route to a 21-18 loss to the New England Patriots.

It was much the same five days earlier when the Steelers had three points in the first half on their way to a 24-10 defeat against the Arizona Cardinals. Even with all of the optimism surrounding the offense the previous week against Cincinnati, the Steelers scored just three points in the opening half before pulling out a 16-10 victory.

Despite giving interim coordinator duties to Eddie Faulkner and the play-calling responsibilities to Mike Sullivan, the Steelers have scored 16 first-half points in the past three games. For the season, they are averaging 6.8 points in the opening 30 minutes; only two teams are scoring fewer points heading into halftime.

Figuring a way to get the offense off to a faster starter is the mission of the Faulkner-Sullivan duo, and one would come in handy when the Steelers face the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Each team will take a 7-6 record into the game, and the winner will at least maintain its playoff positioning with three games left in the season.

“We’re steadily working to improve,” Faulkner said. “We come in and go, ‘OK, why didn’t this work? Why didn’t it? Let’s fix it. This is how we’re going to fix it.’

“We move forward.”

A step backward, of course, could crush the Steelers’ hopes of reaching the postseason.

“We all know it’s an important game to make the playoffs,” running back Najee Harris said. “We all know we have to lock in, execute game plans and know that every game matters. The notch is turned up a little bit more. We know that.”

Unlike the previous week when the Steelers had essentially one day of practice to get Trubisky ready to make his first start in place of the injured Kenny Pickett, the team resumed a regular work week. Trubisky can’t get a mulligan for what he produced early against New England — it included an interception that led to a touchdown — but he is counting on a full week of preparation to pay dividends.

“Being better on first and second down and obviously converting third downs and staying on the field,” Trubisky said, mindful that the Steelers were 3 of 14 on third downs versus the Patriots. “I think it’s that simple. Obviously when there’s a pass that is incomplete or a run that doesn’t go for very much, we just look at it with open eyes, we make the corrections, move forward and continue to go back to work.”

Trubisky also is looking to protect the ball better than he did in losses to the Cardinals and the Patriots. When he replaced Pickett against Arizona, Trubisky couldn’t handle a low snap from center Mason Cole. The Cardinals recovered and converted the takeaway into a touchdown and 17-3 third quarter lead. For what it’s worth, Indianapolis has the No. 25-ranked defense but is among the league’s top teams at getting interceptions. Only three teams have more than their 13.

That Trubisky had a few extra days to chew on his shortcomings didn’t sit well with the seven-year veteran.

“You have to focus on what’s in front of you,” he said. “You can’t let the last game impact the next game, just like you can’t let the last play impact the next play. It’s just that mentality that you learn from it and move on and full steam ahead.”

Note: For the third week in a row, the Steelers have elevated outside linebacker Kyron Johnson from the practice squad. It is the final time he can be elevated this season without having to be signed to the 53-man roster. He has played exclusively on special teams the past two weeks.