National Football League

Tomlin unhappy with Steelers' uninspired play

Published Aug. 13, 2011 8:12 p.m. ET

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Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expected some rust in his team's preseason opener.

What he didn't expect? To see the defending AFC champions get so thoroughly dominated.

The Steelers struggled on both sides of the ball in a 16-7 loss to the Washington Redskins on Friday. And while throwing a dud when the games don't really count is hardly a problem for one of the most veteran teams in the league, looking uninterested while doing so doesn't sit well with its coach.

''Quite frankly we got outplayed in just about all areas - blocking, tackling, running, throwing, kicking,'' Tomlin said. ''That team was better prepared tonight than us. They showed it.''

The Steelers managed just 186 total yards against one of the NFC's worst teams a year ago and struggled to get the defense off the field. Washington moved the ball with ease, racking up 452 yards. Only some flawed execution by the Redskins in the red zone and spotty kicking from Shayne Graham kept the final score from being more lopsided.

''There weren't a lot of things to feel good about,'' Tomlin said.

Particularly in the training room. Veteran cornerback Ike Taylor broke his left thumb and will miss at least two weeks, possibly longer if surgery is required.

''It could be worse,'' Taylor said. ''It will heal. Everybody plays injured.''

What the Steelers didn't do, at least on Friday, was play with any sense of urgency. Call it a side effect when so many of the key spots are already locked up.

Pittsburgh did little in free agency before landing wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery on Thursday, opting to re-sign its own free agents in hopes of going one step farther than it did a year ago.

The starters on both sides of the ball barely broke a sweat, standard procedure for Tomlin in the first exhibition.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 2 of 3 passes; Rashard Mendenhall ran it just once. Mike Wallace caught it just once, though he missed a sure touchdown when Roethlisberger overthrew him on a deep pattern during their only series on the field together. Defensive stars James Harrison and Troy Polamalu didn't even play to help keep them fresh for when the games start counting next month.

Good thing, because even the defensive starters looked a step slow in the first quarter as the Redskins drove it the length of the field.

''I think we allowed them to drive the ball down the field a little bit too long, maybe 90 yards, but we just need to get back on the field and correct that,'' said linebacker LaMarr Woodley. ''That's why it's called the preseason, so we can go back and correct mistakes like that.''

Tomlin downplayed the loss of organized team activities and mini-camps - both of which were scuttled by the NFL lockout - saying it's something the entire league has been forced to deal with.

Quarterback Dennis Dixon, hoping to make the team as the third quarterback or get moved in a trade to a place where he can compete for playing time, did little to distinguish himself in the fourth quarter. He made a couple of nifty moves with his feet but his arm was spotty, completing just 1 of 10 passes for 29 yards.

The lone offensive bright spot came from reserve running back Isaac Redman, who scored Pittsburgh's only touchdown on a 22-yard run in which he spun away from defenders and kept his legs moving until he reached the end zone.

''Anytime I get the ball in my hands I try to make the best out of it, and I feel like once I'm able to get into a rhythm and get into a game, there's a lot more I can do than get one or two yards,'' Redman said.

The Steelers return to training camp Sunday at Saint Vincent College before beginning preparations to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. After a clunker in the opener, it can't come soon enough.

''Every time we hit the field, we expect to win and get it done,'' said offensive tackle Willie Colon. ''We didn't do that tonight, not only as a unit, but as a team. It's a wake-up call. We have to look at ourselves in the mirror, watch the tape and find a way to dig in and get it done.''

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