The Steelers didn’t exactly leave Week 1 looking like a team that has everything figured out, even with a win over the Falcons. Atlanta was hardly an elite test, and Cooper Rush’s rough day helped Pittsburgh get over the line. That makes this week’s matchup with the Patriots feel a lot more revealing.
New England comes in off a loss, but it was a competitive one against the defending Super Bowl champions. That alone makes it clear the Patriots aren’t a team Pittsburgh can assume will fold. The Steelers have real issues to sort through, and this game should force answers.
The biggest one might be DK Metcalf. He was one of the clearest disappointments from the win over Atlanta, finishing with four catches for 40 yards while leaving too many plays on the field.
Penalties and key drops dragged down his night, and for a player brought in to threaten defenses vertically, that’s a problem. Right now, Metcalf has been doing much of his damage as a hybrid possession receiver, which is not where he’s supposed to live.
Against New England, that could matter even more if the Patriots stack the box and dare Pittsburgh to beat them over the top. Metcalf has to make those looks pay.
There’s also the question of whether Pittsburgh can force another messy performance from Drake Maye. The Steelers got some help from Atlanta’s mistakes last week, and turnovers played a major role in the outcome.
That formula would help again, even if it doesn’t come in the form of an interception. A strip sack would work just as well.
Maye is not Cooper Rush, though, and after throwing three interceptions in Week 1, he may be more careful this time around. If New England tightens up, Pittsburgh could be in for a much tougher afternoon.
Then there’s the run game, which has to be better. The Steelers want to lean on the ground attack, especially with a veteran quarterback who is extremely limited at this point in his career.
But last Sunday’s rushing effort was a mess. Jaylen Warren had a late surge, but for most of the game the lead backs never got rolling.
Rico Dowdle had a miserable stat line, while Warren contributed in multiple areas. The line had its share of blame, and Atlanta crowded the box to make life difficult, but a run success rate of only about 30% tells the story.
Pittsburgh needs this to look like a one-week stumble, not a trend.
In Other News...
Steelers Hit With Two Costly Absences Ahead Of Patriots Trip
The Steelers head into their trip to New England dealing with a pair of absences that change both sides of the ball. Joey Porter Jr. is out while contract negotiations continue, and Michael Pittman Jr. will miss the game because of a foot injury, leaving Pittsburgh thinner at cornerback and taking away one of its receiving options before facing the Patriots.
Germie Bernard now looks set for a bigger role with Pittman Jr. sidelined, which gives the rookie a chance to make himself part of the conversation a little earlier than expected. For a Steelers team trying to stay steady on the road, the timing of these absences only adds to the challenge of getting through a tricky AFC test. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Wont Like What Joey Porter Jr. Might Be Worth
The contract picture around Joey Porter Jr. has become one of the more uncomfortable talking points in Pittsburgh, because the Steelers and the young corner still have not reached an extension agreement. For a team that has invested in developing Porter into a key part of its secondary, the lack of a deal has naturally led to trade speculation, even if nothing has been publicly finalized.
What may sting most for Steelers fans is the sense that the return would not match the talent or the expectations surrounding him. Early talk suggests Pittsburgh might only be looking at a second- or third-round pick if it ever got serious about moving him, which is a far cry from the kind of haul some around the league may have once imagined. For now, the situation is still unresolved, and the longer it drags on, the more it invites questions about where Porter fits in the Steelers' future. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Secondary Faces A Different Kind Of Test This Week
A.J. Brown landing on injured reserve changes the shape of Pittsburghs Week 2 assignment, but it does not make the Patriots passing game any easier to sort out. Mike Vrabel said Brown worked from multiple receiver spots, and with him out, New England is expected to spread those looks around, using players such as Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Romeo Doubs in different ways.
For the Steelers secondary, the challenge becomes less about tracking one featured target and more about adjusting to a receiver rotation that can shift from snap to snap. Browns absence removes a familiar centerpiece, but it also leaves Pittsburgh preparing for a more varied New England attack, which can be its own kind of test for a defensive backfield. [Read more 🡒]