Mark Madden: Some Steelers are playing well, but it's a short list

Tyson Alualu got dropped to the second string. Montravius Adams took Alualu’s spot as a starter on the defensive line in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ base 3-4 defense.

This clearly solves all the Steelers’ problems. They should do no worse than 13-4.

Regarding further change, coach Mike Tomlin said, “We’re not going to blow in the wind.”

No idea what that means. Bob Dylan won’t get a helmet, I guess. Neither will Jenny from “Forrest Gump.” How many years can some people exist before they’re allowed to be free? That sounds like the Steelers’ offensive gameplan.

Now that I’ve tried way too hard and got sadly very dated in that last paragraph, it’s time to accentuate the positive.

Some Steelers are playing well. Not well enough for the team to win more than it loses. But they should beat the New York Jets.

They better. The four games after that are a death stretch. Tell Myles Garrett to drive with extra caution. (He’s OK. Lighten up, Francis.)

• Edge rusher Alex Highsmith leads the NFL in sacks with 4½. The double teams T.J. Watt usually absorbs are now stifling Cameron Heyward. Highsmith is taking advantage. Highsmith also has forced a fumble and has seven quarterback hits and four tackles for loss. All are team bests.

• Tackle Chuks Okorafor and guard James Daniels are the main reasons the offensive line has solidified, giving them a strength of sorts on the right side. That said, the Steelers are averaging 4.1 yards per rush, 11th-worst in the NFL. They have conceded just eight sacks, though, which is eighth best. We expected the offensive line to be excrement, so we’re celebrating a smidge above mediocrity. But it is improving.

• Minkah Fitzpatrick got an interception in each of the first two games. He has 34 tackles. That’s too many, like last year. He’s a safety, not a linebacker.

• Inside linebacker Myles Jack leads the Steelers in tackles with 35. He has had at least 10 in three straight games. A Steeler hasn’t done that since James Farrior in 2008. I’d rather have Farrior, but Jack provides glue in the middle. (That defense allows 394.7 yards per game, the NFL’s ninth-worst mark. If it was elite, it would do better despite losing Watt. Yeah, it has played too many snaps. It also makes $108 million. Earn it.)

Those are the only Steelers who are playing well. It’s not a lengthy list.

It depends on your definition of good.

For example. Inside linebacker Devin Bush was horrible last year. He’s playing better this year. But still not “good.”

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson has 21 catches for 196 yards. That projects to an impressive 119 receptions for over 1,100 yards. But Johnson’s crucial drop at Cleveland was a defining moment in that loss. You pay players to win, not get stats. (I repeat that a lot. That’s because it’s true a lot.)

Tomlin was the usual fountain of empty platitudes and horse manure at Tuesday’s media gathering.

Tomlin said he sees improvement from Mitch Trubisky “in all areas.” Do any of those involve quarterbacking?

As for the running game, “all areas are pointing to improvement.” Yeah, except for the actual results.

Turns out the Steelers are “in a no-blink business, particularly if we believe in what it is that we do and the people that we’re doing it with. Sometimes, you’ve just got to show steely resolve.” Isn’t he the mascot?

More Tomlin: “We realize that football is a game, and our business is winning. So we’ve got to get back to business.” To paraphrase Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

There’s not much else Tomlin can say. He talks like every other coach talks. Shame on us for listening, let alone parsing every word like it’s the Dead Sea Scrolls.

But let’s get to the heart of the matter: TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA! TRUBISKY! PICKETT! CANADA!