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With Ben Roethlisberger and Rashard Mendenhall both hurting behind a shaky offensive line, facing the stingy Tennessee Titans might not provide the struggling Pittsburgh Steelers' offense with a good opportunity to get back on track.

The banged-up Steelers hope to find some way to bounce back from their latest defeat while trying to snap the Titans' three-game winning streak Sunday at Heinz Field.

If Tennessee (3-1) has been one of the NFL's biggest surprises, Pittsburgh's start has generated some concern throughout the Steel City.

The Steelers (2-2) scored 47 points in victories over Seattle and Indianapolis -- teams with a combined one win -- but 17 in losses at Baltimore and Houston. Pittsburgh amassed a season-low 296 yards in a 17-10 defeat to the Texans last Sunday and ranks 27th with 16.0 points per game.

"We are not going to make something out of this that it's not," coach Mike Tomlin said. "We understand that we are capable of playing better. We know where the solutions lie, of course within us, and how we prepare and ultimately how we perform."

The concerns on offense begin with a line that has yet to start the same combination in consecutive weeks due to injuries. That's resulted in Roethlisberger having been sacked 14 times -- the third-highest total in the NFL. Looking to provide some depth and leadership, the Steelers signed former starting lineman Max Starks this week.

Hurried and harassed, Roethlisberger has thrown three touchdowns with five interceptions and is limping around on a sprained left foot. Expected to play wearing a special shoe, Roethlisberger has completed 77.8 percent of his passes for 581 yards with three TDs and two interceptions while winning both career home starts versus Tennessee.

"Ben's a warrior, he's going to come out fighting like he has in the past," receiver Hines Ward said.

Roethlisberger missed a 19-11 win at Tennessee in Week 2 last season while serving his four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Mendenhall's status because of a hamstring injury suffered last week does not appear as positive. If he's unable to play, Isaac Redman and Mewelde Moore could split time in the backfield. The pair combined to rush 10 times for 74 yards against the Texans.

Ranked 21st with 93.8 rushing yards per game, the Steelers could find it even tougher to run against a Titans unit that's given up an average of 87.8 yards on the ground. Tennessee also ranks first in the NFL allowing 14.0 points per game and has not given up more than 16.

"We're still not playing our best football," safety Jordan Babineaux said. "That's scary. Watch out."

While Tennessee has played well defensively, its offense has been equally effective.

Veteran Matt Hasselbeck ranks second in the AFC behind Tom Brady with a 104.7 passer rating. He's thrown eight touchdowns, three interceptions and been sacked just four times.

"Just having continuity with the teammates and with the guys, even though I'm new, they are really stable," Hasselbeck said. "It's not musical chairs, which has made it a lot easier for me."

Hasselbeck, however, has completed just 53.3 percent of his passes with two TDs and two interceptions in three starts versus Pittsburgh -- including the Super Bowl XL loss with Seattle.

Star running back Chris Johnson has averaged only 53.3 yards in three games against the Steelers. He finally broke out with 101 yards on 23 carries in last Sunday's 31-13 win at Cleveland, a welcome sight after the $53-million man totaled 98 yards in his previous three games.

"Part of the areas that we know as a team that we are not where we want it to be is running the ball," first-year coach Mike Munchak said. "We got glimpses of what we think we are capable of, but we are still not consistent to where we are happy with where we are at."

Despite his history against the Steelers, Johnson could be in for a second straight successful game while facing a Pittsburgh unit that's giving up 4.8 yards per carry -- well above the 3.0 it yielded in 2010.

The Steelers also will be without star linebacker James Harrison, who is out with a broken right-eye orbital bone.

Potentially more beneficial for Johnson and the Titans, fullback Ahmard Hall returns after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.