What's wrong with Steelers WR Mike Wallace's hands?

Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

PITTSBURGH -- When it was mentioned Thursday that he will line up this weekend against the NFL's worst-ranked defense, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace couldn't help but to break into a wide grin.

The Washington Redskins coming to town, perhaps bringing a tonic for Wallace to get past his mysterious case of the drops. Wallace had four -- count 'em, four -- dropped passes on Sunday night. Now conditions are ripe for him to make amends.

"It doesn't matter if we were going against the No. 1 or No. 32 (-ranked pass defense), I just need to play, after my situation from last week," Wallace told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm just excited to get back out there after the game I had."

Wallace was targeted 15 times during Sunday's 24-17 win at Cincinnati -- more than any receiver in the league during Week 7 -- but the drops were his calling card. What an out-of-body experience. The fourth-year pro has never had as many drops in an entire NFL season, let alone a game, as he had on Sunday night.

He's lucky the Steelers (3-3) won, or he might have been flogged as a goat. One of the drops, which was deflected into his hands, came in the end zone and was followed by an interception.

"I put that on myself," he said. "I'm not shying away from it. It is what it is. I had a bad game. I'll come back this week."

No one in the Steelers camp seems to be in panic mode about Wallace's sudden issue. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he hasn't lost any confidence in the big-play receiver. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley said the best way to help receivers get out of slumps is to keep throwing the football to them, which could lessen internal pressure.

"Having coached receivers," Haley said, "the first thing I said to him was, 'I don't care about the easy ones. Those happen. We want you to catch the contested third downs.' "

Haley said he was most disappointed about a third-down drop late in the game, even though it would have been a difficult catch. Wallace had to make a sight adjustment on his route and the ball was thrown a bit behind him as a cornerback was draped on Wallace's back.

Said Haley, "Those are the ones I want us to pride ourselves on making."

Wallace has heard about the drops repeatedly since Sunday night -- another reason why the next game can't get here fast enough. But what went wrong and how does he fix it?

"It's moreso concentration, ready to turn up the field sometimes before I have the ball," said Wallace, who has 29 catches for 397 yards and four TDs on the season. His 13.7-yard average reception would be a career low if it holds up for the season, a significant drop from his 18.7 mark in his first three seasons -- and a reflection of a new offense that has leaned heavily on safer, shorter throws and less on the deep ball.

"I'm always ready to snatch and go, and sometimes I lose my focus," he said. "I have to secure the ball, look it in and don't go nowhere without the ball."

Wallace missed training camp because of a contract dispute, but he scoffs at any suggestion the drops were linked to him knocking off the rust.

"Nobody said that during the first two or three weeks, when I was scoring touchdowns," he said. "Hey, it was one game. Everybody has one game. I saw all types of guys around the league drop the ball on Sunday. I wasn't the only guy. It just so happens mine came in a Sunday night game for everybody to see. It was bad timing."

With bad hands.