The Steelers got the result they wanted in Paris, but Kurt Warner wasn’t interested in dressing it up.
Pittsburgh improved to 5-2 after its Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints, leaning on a strong performance up front and enough from the ground game to survive a 16-10 finish. Still, Warner used his NFL Network broadcast spot to say out loud what the box score already hinted at: this offense is not yet built like a true championship team.
“We've talked about it all day long: dink, dunk, short plays. Yes, Jaylen Warren made some huge plays for them, but to me, they have got to find some explosiveness if they are to be a contender-a true contender-for a championship."
That wasn’t just a stray line from the booth, either. Jason Kelce echoed the same concern, and the message was clear: Pittsburgh can win games this way, but it’s a flimsy path if the conversation shifts from playoff team to serious Super Bowl threat.
The Steelers did what they had to do against a Saints team now sitting at 2-5, and they did it while outgaining them on the ground by 130 rushing yards. But the passing game never looked like the kind of weapon that changes how defenses feel about Pittsburgh. A few scattered downfield shots from Aaron Rodgers won’t be enough to erase that.
Rodgers, who turns 43 in the second half of the season, did connect on a few deeper throws, including a 51-yard completion to DK Metcalf against the Saints. Even so, the bigger picture stayed the same. He finished 19 of 30 for 212 yards, which works out to 7.1 yards per attempt, with one touchdown in a game where Pittsburgh managed just 16 points.
That’s the problem Warner was pointing at. The Steelers can grind out wins when the margins are tight, but that style gets a lot harder to trust when the level of competition rises in the postseason.
It may be enough to survive the regular season against weaker opponents. It’s a different story when the games get bigger and the defenses get tougher.
For Pittsburgh, the trenches are doing their part. The question is whether the passing game can ever catch up. Without more explosiveness there, Warner’s point stands: the Steelers may be winning now, but they’re not yet playing like a team built for a championship run.
In Other News...
Steelers Finally Have A Defensive Trend Fans Can Believe In
For a defense that has spent much of the season looking for something stable to build around, Week 7 offered a promising glimpse in the middle of the field. Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen were central to the Steelers' best work against the Saints, with both linebackers showing up against the run and helping keep New Orleans from finding any easy answers through the air.
Wilson was active around the ball all afternoon, stacking up run stops and making a big play that flipped field position. Queen was just as busy, finishing with 10 tackles, a pass breakup and a sack while staying disciplined in coverage, a stretch of play that gave Pittsburgh a clear reason to think this pairing can anchor a more dependable defensive trend going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers 5-2 Start Feels Good Until This Familiar Concern Returns
A 5-2 start is exactly the kind of cushion the Steelers wanted heading toward the bye, especially with a chance to get to 6-2 before the break. The defense under Patrick Graham has done enough to keep the club in position, and the overall vibe around the team is positive enough to make the standings look better than they have in a while.
Still, the same old offensive unease keeps creeping back into the discussion, and that is what makes this stretch feel so familiar. Mike McCarthys group is searching for a clear identity, with the attack seemingly pulled in different directions, while the bigger concern is whether this is just another promising November setup that leaves the Steelers wondering about the same issues once the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Cant Ignore This Secondary Problem Much Longer
The Steelers defensive front gave them something to feel good about in Paris, where they held the Saints to 10 points and again showed how disruptive their pass rush and line play can be when everything is clicking. But even with that kind of performance, the back end still looks like the area that could keep this defense from fully settling in, especially after the trade that left them without a true boundary corner.
Pittsburgh can survive a lot when the front is winning the fight up front, but the secondary has become the lingering question opponents will keep testing. Cornerback remains the obvious spot to monitor, and while the idea of adding help is already circulating, the Steelers have not done anything yet to suggest the answer is coming quickly. [Read more 🡒]