PITTSBURGH (AP) — Technically, Mike Tomlin was talking about what goes on behind closed doors.
Given the way the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing during their unbeaten start, he might as well have been talking about what's happening on the field, too.
“I can’t give you all the ingredients to the hot dog,” the NFL's longest-tenured head coach said with a smile this week when asked about the process of handing out a game ball following a victory. “You might not like it.”
Except, of course, the taste of the finished product. Tomlin knows that as long as it tastes good, who cares what's in it?
So forgive him if he's unapologetic about the way the Steelers have played through the first two weeks.
Yes, the offense remains a work in progress. Yes, the wide receivers not named George Pickens need to start producing.
Yes, quarterback Justin Fields has been focused more on not losing games than winning them while filling in for injured Russell Wilson.
It doesn't matter to Tomlin, who has no plans to abandon the physical, throwback approach to winning.
No wonder he sees a kindred spirit of sorts in Jim Harbaugh.
The first-year Los Angeles Chargers coach is in the early stages of what could be a quick turnaround much like the one he orchestrated in San Francisco over a decade ago.
Los Angeles has physically dominated the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers in Harbaugh's first two games, relying on running back JK Dobbins and a thudding defense more than the arms and legs of uber-talented quarterback Justin Herbert.
While Harbaugh is encouraged about the progress he's seen, he understands the Steelers and their star-laden defense represent a step up in class from what the Chargers faced last week against the overmatched Panthers.
“We’ll really find out about our team this week,” Harbaugh said. "So far it’s been great. I’m excited about so many different areas. The togetherness is really coming.”
Flourishing Fields
Fields will make his third straight start while Wilson rehabs a calf injury he aggravated a few days before the season opener earlier this month.
The 25-year-old Fields has offered hints of his considerable physical talent. He unleashed a 51-yard strike to Pickens while rolling to his right against Denver last week, though the play was called back because of offensive holding.
More importantly for the Steelers, Fields has avoided the mistakes that cropped up frequently during his three uneven seasons in Chicago. The player who had 41 turnovers in 40 games with the Bears has yet to give it away in Pittsburgh.
Asked this week how he felt about Fields' decision-making, Tomlin offered an endorsement and a challenge at the same time.
“It’s been really good,” Tomlin said before adding, “but I expect it to be.”
Whither, Herbert?
Herbert had his right ankle rolled up late in the third quarter against the Panthers when he tried to move up in the pocket to avoid a sack and got caught from behind.
The fifth-year quarterback did not practice on Wednesday but told Harbaugh the ankle was improving. Herbert has been lauded for his toughness and pain threshold, but this is the second time in three seasons he is questionable going into a Week 3 game. The fifth-year quarterback had fractured rib cartilage after taking a hard hit during the fourth quarter of a game against the Chiefs.
Easton Stick, who has four regular-season starts in five-plus seasons, is the backup even though the Chargers acquired Taylor Heinicke from the Atlanta Falcons at the end of the preseason.
Tackle trouble?
Tomlin's plan to rotate Broderick Jones and rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu at right tackle took a bit of a detour last week when Jones was flagged three times in the span of a handful of plays and watched the rest of the game from the bench.
Fautanu will make his second straight start against the Chargers and a defensive line that includes star edge rusher Joey Bosa, who has picked up a sack in each of the Chargers' first two games.
Tomlin will give Jones — a first-round selection in 2023 — a chance to rebound, though it appears he now has far less wiggle room than he did last season when he played solidly after getting inserted into the lineup in October.
“I am sure he suffered some disappointment in terms of Troy starting,” Tomlin said. “It’s a natural thing. But he has to move past it and I have to give him an opportunity to move past it as a leader.”
East Coast bias
The Chargers have won eight straight games when they played in the Eastern time zone, tied for the second-longest winning streak since the merger by a Pacific time zone team when they come cross country.
San Francisco holds the mark with 13 from 1987 through 1990.
Los Angeles has five games in the Eastern time zone this season, its most since 2005. With two consecutive games out East for the first time in 20 years, they elected to remain in Charlotte, North Carolina, after drilling the Panthers last week and practice at UNC Charlotte before flying to Pittsburgh on Saturday.
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AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Will Graves, The Associated Press
