Tim Benz: Developing QB dilemma just the latest internal Steelers contradiction

The 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers are a team chock-full of contradictions.

• The entire premise of the offense is to seek victory by way of securing the football, avoiding turnovers and minimizing mistakes.

But the offense is so conservative it can’t maintain possession and rarely threatens to score.

• After a 17-10 loss to Jacksonville tainted by typically terrible NFL officiating, head coach Mike Tomlin said, “It’s our desire to be a good and elite team so that we’re not as flimsy and become a component of some debatable calls.”

But it appears as if Tomlin’s entire approach to every week’s game plan is to maintain a flimsy fourth-quarter margin and win a low-scoring, one-possession rock fight of a game.

• Coming off a win over the Tennessee Titans 19 days ago, it was Diontae Johnson and Najee Harris playing the role of sounding boards for a disgruntled George Pickens.

But now it’s Johnson and Harris who are admitting to frustrations.

• One of Tomlin’s favorite phrases is, “We don’t live in our fears.”

But Tomlin seems to be petrified by his own offense right now. How else do you explain six third-down passing attempts that were completed short of the line to gain?

• Another one of Tomlin’s go-to quotes is, “Your tape is your resume.”

But then how can he justify 128 rushing attempts for Najee Harris at 3.9 yards per carry versus only 80 rushing attempts at 6.2 yards per carry for Jaylen Warren?

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Well, now Tomlin is on the cusp of having to wade into similar waters when it comes to dealing with a simmering quarterback decision.

Is he going to bench struggling starter Kenny Pickett? If so, for whom? And if so, why?

For Mitch Trubisky? For what? A “spark”?

Didn’t Tomlin bench Trubisky for Pickett last year in hopes of generating a “spark”? A spark that didn’t flash until after the bye when the run game got in gear and the schedule lightened up?

Didn’t Tomlin insert Pickett at halftime of Week 4 last year because of a reported dust-up between Trubisky and Johnson? So, is Trubisky’s presence back on the field really going to quell the recent angst from Johnson and Pickens?

Or, I suppose Tomlin could turn to Mason Rudolph. But I doubt Tomlin could ever allow himself to admit he is so desperate that he’d start a QB he previously bypassed for the two other players currently in front of him on the depth chart.

For a guy he let walk into free agency this offseason with, seemingly, no regrets if Rudolph signed elsewhere.

There’s no win in making a change for Tomlin. The only win is if Pickett suddenly starts to play better. And that’s why I think it’s highly unlikely you’ll see a move at starting quarterback.

“I haven’t heard anything,” Trubisky said Monday when asked if a change might happen this weekend. At this point, I doubt that he would have even if Tomlin was pondering such a decision.

And that should lead all Steelers fans and media members to ponder a different type of paradox.

Is it really a quarterback controversy if none of the possible decisions is the right one?

Based on how we’ve seen the Steelers offense operate under all three potential QBs in recent years, that seems to be the painful reality.