Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace was frustrated after only catching one pass against the Cleveland Browns last week on the final play of the game. He has only seven catches in three games since Antonio Brown was hurt.
That frustration might only grow this week.
Wallace could lose playing time against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Coach Mike Tomlin listed Wallace as a "co-starter" with Emmanuel Sanders this week and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Tomlin indicated Sanders might start over Wallace this week.
Asked what will determine if Wallace will start, Tomlin replied: "situations."
"Mike was frustrated and rightfully so," Tomlin said. "He is not producing in the manner in which he'd like to and which he'd like him to. It's the function of a lot of things."
Tomlin's heavy-handed motivational ploy likely is designed to have Wallace think about the big picture rather than his own situation. Wallace is averaging only 52 yards per game this year, down from over 75 yards per game the past two years. He's gone from one of the best big-play threats in the NFL to a guy who averages 12.2 yards per catch. That's possession receiver territory.
Oh, and Wallace is in a contract year like running back Rashard Mendenhall. Tomlin dropped Mendenhall to third on the depth chart Tuesday behind Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman.
Yes, the frustration is mounting among some of the Steelers' best-known offensive players.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
