Tomlin threatens benchings if receivers’ drops continue

PITTSBURGH — Coming off their first loss of the season against the Washington Football Team, Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said the team has work to do to get ready for their game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

The includes an ultimatum to receivers after an estimated seven passes were dropped in Monday’s game.

“They can catch the ball, or they can get replaced by those who will catch it,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. “It’s as simple as that.”

He said the team’s inability to force turnovers and when in possession of the ball, to get first downs, is what caused the loss on Monday.

“I live by a coaching creed that If you can’t get a yard in our game you don’t deserve to win, and that was the case for us in this game,” he said.

While many of the team’s star players are out with injuries or on the COVID-19/Reserve list, Tomlin said the team should have been able to overcome those challenges.

“There are many reasons why but none of it is relevant,” he said. “If you are a legit unit that has the goods you can absorb irregularities in schedules, significant players missing and so forth, and rise up in those moments, so that is our charge as we prepare for this next game.”

On the injury front, Tomlin said linebacker Robert Spillane is questionable to return for Sunday’s game, out with a knee injury, with Joe Haden in concussion protocol for an in-game concussion.

However, James Conner and Maurice Pouncey may return from possible COVID-19 exposure.

The Steelers are set to take on the Buffalo Bills at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday on Channel 11.

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