Tomlin and Fields admit the Steelers' O-Line needs to protect the quarterback better

In training camp, it's easy to protect the quarterback. He's off limits. He can't be touched, hit or sacked. When you step into a stadium, it's a completely different world. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were under constant fire in the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday night. Between them, both quarterbacks were sacked four times, hit 10 times and barely had time to do anything useful in the pocket behind the Steelers' offensive line, which was failing to do its job.

“We didn't protect the quarterback well enough,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on the team's YouTube channel. “We need to do a better job of pass protection than we have in the past. Not just on possession attempts, but in general. And I was really open with the group on that. That can't be a problem for us. We need to be better in that area than we have tonight.”

“Do a better job” is an understatement. Along with third and longs, Wilson didn't get much time in the pocket. OT Broderick Jones was the weakest link, allowing two sacks and pressures in the first half and battling an elbow injury and a bulky splint on his right arm that appear to be hindering his play. He declined to meet with the media after the game, telling reporters he was meeting with team doctors instead.

But Jones was far from the only culprit. Most of Pittsburgh's front five stuck with Wilson for the first five series, even though LG Isaac Seumalo was taken out midway through.

Because Wilson was less mobile than Fields, he had little chance to extend plays. The few times the O-line held firm, no one got free. OC Arthur Smith chose a max-protect play action, which worked last week, but the two-man route combination didn't get anyone free and Wilson conceded the ball for a short loss.

Fields was snappier and used his legs to escape the pocket and make plays, hitting TE MyCole Pruitt and WR Dez Fitzpatrick on scramble drills, the latter of which was a great play to avoid a sack and move the sticks.

But he was under constant pressure. RT Anderson Hardy finished the game behind the third O-line, beaten and sacked on the first play of Pittsburgh's final drive. After the game, Fields echoed Tomlin's sentiment, which he shared with the O-line and presumably the entire team.

“They know we have to be better up front. Coach T said that after the game. So, like I said, there's room for improvement for all of us. Me included.”

The only bright spot on offense may have been rookie center Zach Frazier, who was likely to be the team's starter in Week 1 based on his performance and Nate Herbig's shoulder injury. While preseason results don't always align with regular season results, it's a discouraging sign given the investment the front office has put into the front five under GM Omar Khan.