Tag Archives: Patrick Graham

The Game Within the Game: Dissecting the Steelers 27-24 Loss to the Browns on TNF

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Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season saw the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cleveland and drop a 27-24 decision to the Browns on Thursday Night Football.

Judging by the reaction from Steelers Nation on social media, the 2026 Steelers are officially the worst 2-2 team in the history of organized athletics (including, it would seem, team competitions from the ancient Olympics.)

However, with the benefit of a little time and detached reflection, one can see that the loss did yield a lot of insights about this Steelers squad, especially if you focus on the game within the game.

An animated T.J. Watt gets on the headset with Patrick Graham.

An animated T.J. Watt gets on the headset with Patrick Graham. Photo Credit: NFL on Amazon Prime.

Steelers Follow Tormented Template for Thursday Night AFC North Road Games

Thursday Night division road games have been terrible for the Steelers. Neither Chuck Noll, nor Bill Cowher, nor Mike Tomlin won one. Neither has Mike McCarthy, but his team did follow the same template that Tomlin laid down on a Thursday Night a year ago against the Bengals in the opposite corner of Ohio.

Both games saw the Steelers begin by scoring touchdowns on opening drives. Both saw the Steelers defense force fast punts on their Ohio opponent’s first possessions. In both games, the Steelers maintained control, until an untimely Aaron Rodgers interception flipped the momentum to the Ohio team.

And there, on both occasions, Pittsburgh’s opponents savaged a once-proud defense, with attacks on the ground followed by freely flowing passes downfield.

  • On both October nights, the Steelers offense fought back.

As he did in Cincinnati last year, Aaron Rodgers again in Cleveland would lead twin 4th quarter touchdown drives, culminating with touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

And, on both occasions, fans twirled their Terrible Towels celebrating Freiermuth’s touchdown while silently asking themselves – “Did Aaron Rodgers leave too much time on the clock?”

To that end, perhaps the Bengals and Browns should retaliate for “Renegade” by starting to play Styx’s “Too Much Time on Your Hands” during 4th quarter TV time outs, because both games ended with the Steelers offense leaving too much time on the clock for defenses incapable of making stops.

  • The similarities between these twin AFC North Thursday Night road losses are uncanny indeed.

But there are important differences in the dynamics of how both contest evolved, and those differences are where we can find insights.

The Game within The Game: On the Field, the Ugly Side

Here are two factoids that contradict each other while both being true:

  • If you take out the second quarter, the Steelers win 24 to 6
  • But that 2nd period is a candidate for the “worst quarter” in Steelers history

And that’s what makes this game so fascinating. The Steelers opened with a 17-play, nine-minute and 48-second drive that ended with a Roman Wilson rushing touchdown. The Steelers ran six times with Jaylen Warren getting five carries, while Aaron Rodgers hit four different receivers.

  • That’s the kind of ball-control football that would have given Ron Erhardt a wet dream.

While Steelers history buffs will appreciate that, what that opening drive reveals is that Mike McCarthy and his staff did an extremely good job of scripting their opening set of plays.

Roman Wilson runs in a touchdown to put the Steelers up 7-0 against the Browns on Thursday Night Football.

Roman Wilson runs in a 1st quarter touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The same can be said for Patrick Graham’s defense, which limited the Browns to 9 plays and under 30 yards on their first two drives.

Really it looked like McCarthy was en route to cracking the code to winning on TNF…

…Until Aaron Rodgers threw a pick. Then, the bottom feel out on the Steelers across the board:

  • The offensive line failed to protect Rodgers
  • When it did, the receivers couldn’t gain separation, so Rodgers got sacked anyway
  • When receivers did get open, Rodgers misfired, often badly
  • Tackling became an optional duty for Steelers defenders
  • The secondary struggled to cover the Browns’ receivers
  • Chris Boswell missed a field goal

About the only thing going right for the Steelers was Jaylen Warren’s running and Cameron Johnston’s punting.

The Game Within the Game: On the Field, the Sunny Side

Anytime you give up 21 unanswered points in a quarter, things are going bad. Truth be told, some of the weakness the Browns exposed can be fixed, others may be systemic.

The Steelers had to swallow a bitter pill and ship Joey Porter Jr. off to Dallas, but there’s no universe where their secondary is better for the change. Unless Daylen Everette’s baptism by fire transforms him into the next Rod Woodson, there’s little the Steelers can do to address that until next spring.

But some of the things that the Steelers flashed in-game give reason for hope. Take a second look at the third and fourth quarters and you’ll see Mike McCarthy, his staff and players making adjustments in real time:

  • The offensive line improved, protecting Rodgers better.
  • Either through improved play-calling or  execution, the receivers finally gained separation in the 4th quarter
  • D.K. Metcalf delivered when his number was called
  • Patrick Graham’s defense kept the Browns out of the end zone in the 2nd half
  • Robert Spears-Jennings secured a momentum-shifting interception
  • The run blocking of the offensive line was borderline exceptional

Anyone who is unconvinced on the last point should re-watch Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick outmuscling the opposing defensive tackles on Aaron Rodgers’ QB sneak.

Likewise, those tempted to hit the panic button over Patrick Graham’s defense should also take into consideration that he made those adjustments sans starting cornerback Jamel Dean and Derrick Harmon.

But those adjustments weren’t sufficient for the Steelers to secure victory. That brings us to the game within the game off the field.

The Game within the Game: Off the Field = McCarthy’s Challenge

The Steelers’ loss to the Browns on Thursday Night Football also featured something not seen in last year’s in the TNF loss to the Bengals and seldom seen before.

  • The quarterback and head coach exchanging F-bombs
  • T.J. Watt demanding the headset for a heated exchange with his coordinator
  • Cam Heyward reading the riot act to the rest of the defense

There are two directions this dynamic can evolve. It can mark the moment when the veterans on the team raised their voices to straighten the ship. Or it can mark the moment where the coaching staff started losing control.

Mike McCarthy’s challenge coming out of the Browns game is to ensure this dynamic evolves constructively rather than destructively.

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Bengals: Old Offense Learns New Tricks Edition

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Taken from the notebook of a teacher who is pleased to see his old offense learn new tricks, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2026 win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

Derrick Harmon seals the Steelers win with a strip-sack of Joe Burrow.

Derrick Harmon seals the win by strip-sacking Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Jarden Wickerham, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers went 19 of 34 for 3 touchdowns and 1 interception on a pass his receiver should have caught. Rodgers impressed far more with his command at the line of scrimmage. A few throws missed their mark, and red zone performance late in the game could have been better. But a very good day for the veteran. Grade: B+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren finally got his shot at being the Pittsburgh Steelers feature back. And he excelled running for 127 yards on 17 carries (minus  an 85-yard run nullified by a penalty), while catching 3 passes for 49 yards. And, while you don’t see it on the stat sheet, Warren delivered several critical pass blocks. Travis Homer and Lew Nichols both had a carry for naught. Grade: A

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth only caught 2 passes for 30 yards, but his opening pancake block set the tone for the entire day. He also had a Tush-Push 3rd down conversion. Darnell Washington led the team in receiving yards, with 3 catches for 67; one converted a 3rd down where it took 4 players to stop him. Robert Tonyan caught 1 pass for 2 yards. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
Roman Wilson started strong catching the first touchdown and converting a key third down. Then he bobbled a pass that led to an interception, setting up a Cincinnati score. He also had another drop. D.K. Metcalf only caught 3 passes for 31 yards and a touchdown, but for the first time this season he was a reliable receiver. Germie Bernard converted a third down with his lone 14 yard catch and made a key block in Washington’s 47-yard reception. Ben Skowronek caught a 23 yard touchdown that broke Steelers 1st-quarter, 2-touchdown drought that had been running for 98 games. Grade: B

Offensive Line
This is the level of play that everyone expected when Omar Khan and Andy Weidl committed to rebuilding in the trenches in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Bengals defensive line has been wrecking games thus far, yet starting two new players, the Steelers offensive line more than held their own. Yes, there were breakdowns late in the game that led to field goals instead of touchdowns, but this was a good performance by any measure. Grade: B

Defensive Line
The Steelers defensive line kept the Bengals rushing attack in check. The unit didn’t have much luck in pressuring Joe Burrow – until it counted. First, Cam Heyward forced an incompletion that set up a punt, and then Derrick Harmon strip-sacked Burrow with the game on the line, as Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered. Grade: B+

Linebackers
The Bengals knew they had to get the ball out of Joe Burrow’s hands quickly, and they did, limiting the ability of the Steelers elite pass rushers to do their damage. But the linebackers contributed in other ways, with Patrick Queen coming up with a key pass deflection while leading the team in tackles. And Payton Wilson had a key tipped pass two plays before Heyward forced his incompletion. Grade: B

Secondary
Let’s acknowledge the obvious – the Bengals offense moved through the air early and often. But their longest pass play went for 28 yards – three Steelers had receptions longer than that – yeah, we all saw that coming, didn’t we? Jalen Ramsey was excellent in run support and Jamel Dean had a key pass deflection. Grade: B-

Ben Skowronek recovers a muffed punt to set up the go-ahead score.

Ben Skowronek streams in to recover a muffed punt. Photo Credit: Jordan Perez, Steelers.com

Special Teams
Kaden Wetjen had an average day as a kick returner while the Steelers coverage units were a little leaky. But Chris Boswell was perfect and Cameron Johnston only had one punt, but it went for 51 yards and he planted it inside the 20. The real star here was Ben Skowronek who recovered a muffed punt, setting up the go ahead score. Grade: B+

Coaching
A week ago after the loss to the Patriots, Mike McCarthy manned up and took responsibility for the offense’s poor performance.

What we saw this week was McCarthy’s ability to transform accountability into action. McCarthy made the bold decision to make two changes on his offensive line. The result was the best Steelers offensive line performance since Mike Munchak moved out west.

But McCarthy did more than change personnel; he devised a game plan that systematically picked apart the Bengals defense and ensured that his players executed it.

Aaron Rodgers burning 5 timeouts to get play calls right shows that this offense remains a work in progress; the fact that the first one of those time outs converted a 3rd and 5 into a 38-yard touchdown provides evidence that progress will be made.

We know that Patrick Graham instructed his players to keep Cincinnati’s pass catchers in front of them. This “Bend but don’t break” strategy succeeded in allowing the Steelers to keep pace, until Pittsburgh’s pass rush could get to Burrow just when they needed to. Grade: B

Max Iheanachor keeps Aaron Rodgers clean.

Max Iheanachor keeps Aaron Rodgers clean. Photo Credit: Trai Essex, X.com

Unsung Hero Award
Will this game mark some kind of milestone when the history of the McCarthy era is written? Today we don’t know. But when future football historians research this game’s box score on ESPN or Pro Football Reference, there’s one name they won’t see even though his play had an immediate impact. And for that, Max Iheanachor wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2026 win over the Bengals at Acrisure Stadium.

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Steelers Offense Implodes in 20-3 Loss to Patriots at Gillette Stadium

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Week 2 of the 2026 season saw the Pittsburgh Steelers drop a 20 to 3 decision to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

Given the dynamics of NFL scheduling and Steelers tortured history in Foxborough the loss itself should surprise no one.

  • But the Steelers complete offensive impotence should alarm everyone.

Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy manned up, acknowledged his offense’s poor play and took full responsibility. Good for him. The critical question McCarthy must answer now is this: Can we chalk Pittsburgh’s offensive ineptitude to sloppy “September football” or are the Steelers woes more systemic?

Gabe Jackas strip sacks Aaron Rodgers during the Steelers week 2 loss to the Patriots in 2026

How bad was it? This Gabe Jacas hit on Aaron Rodgers wasn’t even a sack…. Photo Credit: AP via the Tribune-Review

SOSO: Same Old Steelers Offense. And Then Some…

Art Rooney Sr. had a term during his franchise’s 40-some-odd years in the wilderness: Same Old Steelers. While the term hasn’t been forgotten, it hasn’t been used much since Chuck Noll’s arrival in 1969.

  • Yet the term certainly applies to the Steelers offense throughout this decade.

Yes, during the first third or maybe even half of the 2020 season, the Steelers fielded an NFL varsity-worthy offense. But outside of that, the 2020s have seen the Steelers win in spite of their offense and almost never because of it.

The remedy, social media commentators have readily assured us:

  • Hire an offensive-minded head coach
  • Surround him with younger, innovative assistants
  • Be more aggressive in improving talent

Art Rooney II hired McCarthy, an offensive minded coach. McCarthy’s staff is well-renowned. Omar Khan has aggressively addressed the offense in the draft, free agency and with multiple trades.

Yet, two games into the 2026 campaign, the Steelers offense not only doesn’t look better than anything Mike Tomlin fielded in 2024 or 2025; against the Patriots it looked worse:

  • The Steelers went 2-12 on third down conversions
  • Patriots defenders sacked Aaron Rodgers 4 times and hit him 7
  • Rodgers suffered not one but two strip sacks
  • Pittsburgh’s best receiver, Germie Bernard caught 4 balls but bobbled a 5th that got picked off
  • D.K. Metcalf, the supposed No. 1 WR, had 4 catches for 27 yards – including garbage time
  • The Steelers defense secured 2 turnovers; the offense squandered both

Those numbers, while bleak, really fail to paint a picture of how pitifully Pittsburgh’s offense failed in Foxborough.

The Steelers offense opened with twin three and outs followed by a missed field goal. After that they opened the third quarter with a workmanlike drive where Rodgers found the rookie Bernard several times and Pat Freiermuth executed the tush push on 4th down.

They made it all the way to the New England 25. A three yard pass to D.K. Metcalf brought up to the 22. Rodgers then tried and failed to find Darnell Washington, bringing up 3rd and 7. Here’s what followed:

Christian Elliss folded Aaron Rodgers in half, knocking the ball loose, and a 3rd & 7 with a very makeable field goal became 4th and 43. Credit Troy Fautanu for recovering the ball, but the Steelers drafted him to protect the quarterback, not recovery strip sacks.

Troy Fautanu recovers a strip sack during the Steelers 2026 week 2 loss to the New England Patriots

Troy Fautanu saves six and recovers a strip sack. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

A similar self-sabotage sequence unfolded in the 4th quarter when the Steelers, theoretically at least, still had a chance rally.

The Steelers moved the ball deftly with Jaylen Warren’s running and Aaron Rodgers hitting Metcalf and Roman Wilson on underneath routes. At the Patriots 30 , Rodgers hit Warren who zigged, zagged and powered his way 25 yards to the 4. On cue, the Steelers’ offense self-destructed:

  • Elijah Ponder sacked Aaron Rodgers on first down, knocking them 9 yards back.
  • On second Rodgers hit Bernard, who had the ball bounce off his hands and into Gabe Jacas’.

Rodgers saved the touchdown with a tackle, but again, he didn’t stay out of retirement to make tackles.

Sandwiched in between these twin debacles was Christian Barmore’s strip sack of Rodgers and Elijah Ponder’s recovery of the ball that he returned for a touchdown.

There’s no sugar coating how bad the Steelers offense was against the Patriots. Sure, Warren, Rico Dowdle and Travis Homer logged some nice runs, but the running game never broached establishing a rhythm.

The offensive line deserves every ounce of criticism coming its way, but the truth is that several of Rodgers’ passes were off target and, when they weren’t, his receivers weren’t giving him any help.

Steelers Defense Solid Despite Lapses

Only 7 of the Patriots points were supplied by their defense. Their offense scored 13 more, not including a missed field goal. The truth is, the Steelers defense played well enough to win.

Patrick Queen intercepts Derek Maye in the 3rd quarter.

Patrick Queen Intercepts Derrick Maye. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

No, they didn’t deliver a 5 turnover performance that propelled the Steelers to victory in New England this time last year. But one has to wonder if would have been sufficient with this offense. Still, Patrick Graham’s defense made its share of splash plays:

The offense, however, only netted 4 yards following that fumble, although they were not helped by Jalen Ramsey’s jawboning that cost the offense 15 yards.

There were other lapses of course. New England’s only touchdown came on a 39-yard run where TreVeyon Henderson sliced through the middle of the Steelers defense with only Asante Samuel Jr. barely getting a hand on him.

Romeo Doubs also found a gaping hole in the Steelers secondary to steal a 63 yard reception, although Patrick Graham’s defense held there, forcing a field goal.

But when a defense holds an NFL offense to 13 points is playing winning football.

Take Away for Mike McCarthy: Stop the Offense from Self-Destructing

In beating the Falcons last week, Mike McCarthy joined his three immediate predecessors by winning his first game as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alas, in week two he continued to follow in Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin’s footsteps, as both men lost their first games at Gillette Stadium, and lost them badly. These parallels are useful because they sharpen the focus on McCarthy’s challenge this morning.

Bill Cowher lost his first game at Gillette, because he couldn’t stop Bill Belichick’s spread offense. Mike Tomlin lost his in his first visit to New England because Tom Brady, in route to a 19-1 season, toasted his secondary.

  • In both cases, it wasn’t a question of scheme but rather one of talent.

Neither coach could find in-season fixes the fundamental deficiencies plaguing their defenses, but both men led their Steelers squads to division titles.

  • Its Mike McCarthy’s offense that needs fixing.

Whether talent or scheme is driving its disfunction remains to be seen, but the best good take away from the loss to the Patriots for McCarthy is a simple one:  Find away to stop his offense from self-destructing whenever it reaches scoring position.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for Win Over Falcons: New Era Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher excited to welcome both new students and a new era, here is the Report Card for the 2026 Steelers season-opening win over the Falcons at Acrisure Stadium.

Darnell Washington stiff arms Xavier Watts.

Darnell Washington lets Xavier Watts know who is boss. Photo Credit: Jordan Perez, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers went 24 of 40 for 221 yards and one touchdown. Rodgers looked comfortable and in command of the offense, made good decisions and suffered too many drops. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren carried 10 times for 46 yards but coughed up the ball setting up Atlanta’s only touchdown. Warren also caught 5 passes for 27 yards. Rico Dowdle carried 8 times for 15 yards and caught 2 passes for 6 yards. The Steelers running backs didn’t keep any Fantasy Football owners happy but Warren did move the chains late in the game. Grade: C-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had a solid afternoon catching 5 passes for 46 yards for the team’s only touchdown. He also blocked well. Darnell Washington only caught 2 passes for 18 yards and it is tempting to give the group an “A” just for his 15 yard catch (see the lead photo.) We won’t go that far, but the tight ends were easily the strongest unit on the offense. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf caught 4 passes on 10 targets. He was robbed of a long gain by a non-pass interference call, but dropped a highly catchable ball that he could have taken to the house. Roman Wilson caught 3 passes on 6 targets but gave up a combat catch in the end zone. Michael Pittman Jr. had the best day of the trio, catching 3 for 58, and brings the group grade up. Grade: D

Offensive Line
This was an area of worry going into the game, but the line was OK. Aaron Rodgers only gave up two sacks and had more time to pass than he did a year ago. Dylan Cook still looks uneasy a right tackle and Spencer Anderson also had some difficult moments, but the center and the left of the line had a solid afternoon. Grade: C

Defensive Line
Is there anything that Cam Heyward can’t do? He stuffed  Bijan Robinson on a number of occasions and batted down 3 passes. The Steelers defensive line didn’t put up gaudy statistics, but they contained Robinson, which was critical to the success of the rest of the defense. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Payton Wilson led the group with 13 tackles including 2 for losses and was all over the field. Patrick Queen was next with 7. Nick Herbig was on the field for 60% of the snaps making 2 tackles and one QB hit. Alex Highsmith ended the Falcons opening and closing drives with sacks. The real star was T.J. Watt who was in Hall of Fame form with 2 tackles, 2 for losses, 1 pass batted down, 2 sacks and 1 pick six. Grade: A

Secondary
A brand new secondary started for the Steelers compared to what was on the field the last time they opened a season vs the Falcons in 2024. And the new unit played well. Neither Jamel Dean’s nor Asante Samuel Jr.’s name was heard much and for both cornerbacks that was a good thing. Jalen Ramsey was likely out of position on one of Robinson’s long gains, but he did step up with a critical pass defense. And Pittsburgh native Jaquan Brisker hauled in an interception that set up the first TD. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Jim Wexell quoted the legendary Bill Nunn as saying that Danny Smith was the most well-organized special teams coach he’d ever seen. After watching the Steelers special teams’ first game without Smith since 2013, that’s easy to believe.

Eli Heidenreich and Kaden Wetjen had solid though not spectacular debuts as return men. But the Steelers coverage units gave up more than you’d like to see, and had a long gain against them reversed by a penalty. Chris Boswell went 2-3 missing a makeable field goal, and the entire unit lost another with a “what was that?” moment. Clearly, Danny Crossman has work to do. Grade: D

Coaching
The last time someone other than Mike Tomlin coached the Steelers, MySpace dominated social media, Twitter was in its infancy and if you wanted to rent a movie, you drove to Blockbuster.

Outside of a handful of exceptions, this was an end-to-end overhaul of the Steelers coaching staff, and by and large new head coach Mike McCarthy and his coaches did well in their first game with Pittsburgh.

For all of the criticism of the new Steelers offense looking the same as the old offense, Mike McCarthy and Brian Angelichio’s play design and play calling choices differed greatly from what Pittsburgh has seen. And with just a little better execution, the score would have been very different.

Patrick Graham has no shortage of weapons to use on defense, and he deployed them wisely. This allowed several key players to step up at critical moments and this was the difference in the game.

September football is synonymous with sloppy football. The Steelers were no exception. But Pittsburgh was better prepared than Atlanta as the final score indicates. Grade: B

Derrick Harmon, Jack Sawyer and Payton Wilson gang tackle Brian Robinson during the Steelers win over the Falcons.

Jack Sawyer helps gang tackle Brian Robinson. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
Sometimes less is more. T.J. Watt played well all day, but he exploded in the last 18 minutes. We’ve seen that before but not for a while. Over the past 3 seasons, Watt has played over 80% of the defensive snaps. Against the Falcons it was in the low 60s. And he was able to do that because a young, second-year defender was able to come in and spell him, and for that Jack Sawyer wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2026 opening-day win over the Atlanta Falcons.

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The Mike McCarthy Era Begins as Steelers Beat Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium

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The Mike McCarthy era began as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 20-13 at Acrisure Stadium to open the 2026 season.

In securing victory, Mike McCarthy now joins his three immediate predecessors, Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin in winning his first game as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But, in an ironic nod to continuity, we can explain McCarthy’s first win by leaning into a time-tested Tomlinism: “Players play, coaches coach.”

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush and Jawaan Taylor cannot stop him.

T.J. Watt intercepts Cooper Rush in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Taylor Ollason, Steelers.com

Meet the New Steelers Offense, Same as the Old Steelers Offense?

Pittsburgh has fielded “pedestrian” offenses, put generously, since Ben Roethlisberger threw out his arm against Seattle in 2019.

And the consensus remedy for all that ailed the Steelers offense according to fans, podcasters and professional commentators alike has been to replace Mike Tomlin with an offensive-minded head coach.

That’s what Art Rooney II did when he hired Mike McCarthy. And, with one game out of 17 in the books, we can say that the new Steelers offense looks an awful lot like the old.

  • Steelers running backs couldn’t crack 60 yards total rushing
  • Its leading wide receiver caught 3 balls for 58 yards
  • The unit went 3 of 13 on third downs
  • It scored one touchdown and put up the same number of points as Atlanta’s offense

There were positives. Aaron Rodgers was only sacked twice – although he was hit a total of 6 times. Pat Freiermuth had the type of afternoon that eluded him last season, scoring the team’s only touchdown.

Michael Pittman Jr. caught 3 of 3 balls thrown his way and looked better than any other Steelers WR No. 2 has had in years.

  • The same can’t really be said for WR No. 1, D.K. Metcalf.

Aaron Rodgers looked to him early and often, yet Metcalf only came down with 4 balls that came his way. To be fair to Metcalf, Rodgers hit him perfectly on a deep, sideline route that most certainly should have been called as pass interference.

But, in one of those coveted “passes over the middle” at the tail end of the third quarter, Rodgers delivered the ball perfectly, and Metcalf couldn’t hold on. Had he caught the ball, it is possible that none of the defense’s 4th quarter fireworks would have been necessary.

A.J. Terrell breaks up a long pass intended for D.K. Metcalf in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Falcons.

D.K. Metcalf can’t quite hold on as A.J. Terrell interferes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Roman Wilson got his most extensive, non-garbage time play of his career thus far, and the results were mixed. He did come away with 3 catches for 26 yards, which is OK, but he dropped a touchdown in the end zone.

To be fair, a flag could have been thrown on that pass too, but like Metcalf, Wilson must start finding ways to win these combat catches.

The deep shots that Mike McCarthy and Brian Angelichio took down the middle indicate that the coaching duo was trying to do something different on offense. But the execution left a lot to be desired.

  • How did it go again? “Players play, coaches coach?”

There were a few other hopeful signs at the tail end of the game, as we shall see.

The “Other” 10 on the Steelers Defense

Given what we saw in the 4th quarter, one could be forgiven for forgetting that there were 10 other players at any given moment whose name did not start and end with a “T.”

  • But it was far from a one-man show for the Steelers defense.

Much has been made of the “most expensive defense in the NFL” for the last several seasons. Football historians can debate that at their convenience, against the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense earned their money:

  • Payton Wilson led in tackles, including 2 for losses and was all over the field
  • Jalen Ramsey stepped up and broke up a pass, negating a long gain early on
  • Alex Highsmith wrecked Atlanta’s opening and closing drives with sacks
  • Newcomer Jaquan Brisker set up the Steelers only touchdown with a late 2nd quarter interception

And Cam Heyward, the legendary defensive lineman who seems to be making a parallel late career case to do double duty as a defensive back, led the team with 3 passes defensed, and as usual was a force up front at all other times.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up what would have been a long one to Kyle Pitts in the Steelers 2026 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Jalen Ramsey breaks up a pass to Kyle Pitts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It is true, the Steelers were facing second-string quarterback Cooper Rush, who himself had injury issues going into the game. But Atlanta has weapons on offense. Bijan Robinson is one of the NFL’s most dangerous rushers. Robinson had a respectable day, but never threatened to take over the game.

And while the Steelers offense only converted three third downs, that was 50% more than the Falcons, who converted two. Patrick Graham is already earning accolades from the social media chorus for calling a much better game than Mike Tomlin or Teryl Austin would have.

  • And Graham does deserve credit.

But, the entire Steelers defense was firing on all cylinders. And if they hadn’t been, it may not have mattered. Because the 11th player on the field was performing on a different level.

T.J. Watt Grounds the Falcons

Neither 2024 nor 2025 were kind to T.J. Watt. In 2024 Watt started off strong, but an undisclosed injury hampered him late in the season, just as the Steelers entered their critical late-season stretch.

Watt’s lightning quick tackles of Derrick Henry, when in fact Lamar Jackson had the ball, seemed emblematic of everything wrong with the Steelers defense during the 2024 season’s playoff ridiculing suffered at the hands of the Ravens.

Watt had his moments in 2025 and played better than his 7 sacks suggest, but he still appeared to be a player in decline.

His name wasn’t called much early in the game against the Falcons, aside from a sack late in the first half. And late in the 3rd quarter, Joe Davis and Greg Olsen got to talking about Watt’s decline in play.

T.J. Watt with one of two sacks of Cooper Rush in the Steelers 2026 opening day win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Watt breaks a hold to sack Cooper Rush. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

If you didn’t know better, you’d have thought Watt was listening.

Because on the next play he stopped Robinson for a loss. Then, despite being blatantly held, he sacked Cooper Rush, helping to force Atlanta to settle for a field goal.

  • Unfortunately for the Falcons, Watt was only getting warmed up.

The field goal gave Atlanta 10 points, putting them within three of Pittsburgh. The fourth quarter was just starting. The Steelers offense followed with one of those three-and-outs that looked way too familiar to the fare the Fitchner, Canada and Smith offenses treated fans to.

Atlanta ended the 3rd quarter with a 20-yard Bijan Robinson run: The Falcons appeared to be taking flight as the 4th quarter began.

T.J. Watt thought otherwise.

Watt opened the 4th quarter by stoning Robinson for no gain on first down. On second down, after Patrick Graham radioed in the play, Patrick Queen looked at Watt and told him, “Bro, go get me one.” This was Watt’s response:

There are 3 things to take away from this play:

  1. It took incredible concentration for Watt to intercept that ball
  2. Watt’s commitment to playing to the whistle drives him to get up and finish the play
  3. Notice how Benton, Ramsey and Wilson rally to ensure Watt makes it to the end zone

Yes it is a long season. Yes, Watt will have to sustain this level.

But I have pretty good feeling pushing the “Watt’s Washed Up” storyline in the Atlanta Falcons locker room this morning would be a pretty hard sell.

A Finish the Steelers Offense Can Build On?

The Steelers offensive performance did feature a different, hopeful wrinkle. After Highsmith ended the Falcons’ final drive, the Steelers got the ball back with 4:16 remaining.

In just about any similar situation during the post-Roethlisberger era, it would have been nail-biting time. Not against the Falcons. Rodgers opened with passes to Metcalf, Pittman and Darnell Washington.

From there Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren banged out 4 and 9 yard runs respectively, allowing Mike McCarthy to deploy the victory formation.

This wasn’t exactly the type of attrition football that we witnessed in the days when Jerome Bettis or Le’Veon Bell salted away games. But seeing the Steelers spend the final minute of the game taking a knee as opposed to watching their DBs scramble around playing prevent defense was a welcome change.

Perhaps that’s something that Mike McCarthy can build on.

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Steelers Draft Gabriel Rubio, DT of Notre Dame in 6th Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Gabriel Rubio, defensive tackle out of Notre Dame in the 6th round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The move addressed defensive line, the 7th most urgent need on the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix and, for the first time in the 2026 draft, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy shifted back towards Mike Tomlin’s long-standing emphasis of tapping into NFL bloodlines.

Steelers 2026 6th round draft pick Gabriel Rubio in action for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

Steelers 2026 6th round draft pick Gabriel Rubio in action for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Photo Credit: AP, via the Tribune-Review

During the 1998 NFL Draft the Steelers drafted Gabriel’s father, Angel Rubio with their final pick. The elder Rubio however never played a down for the Steelers and his NFL career was limited to two appearances in 1999 with the Atlanta Falcons.

  • Rubio described his father’s reaction as “ecstatic.”

Rubio played some nose tackle for the Fighting Irish, but has experience playing at all of the interior positions on the defensive line, including playing the 4i technique, which is what Cam Heyward plays.

Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman had Rubio rated on his undrafted rookie free agent value board.

Gabriel Rubio Highlights: Notre Dame DT Film Breakdown

Injuries limited Rubio to just six games last season, but his film shows intriguing versatility across the defensive line. Watch his Notre Dame highlights below:

Key takeaways: Rubio shows the ability to play nose tackle, 3-technique, and 4i, giving the Steelers developmental depth behind Heyward, Harmon and Keeanu Benton.

How Gabriel Rubio Fits the Steelers Defensive Line Rotation

In keeping with the theme of this draft, Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham declined to pigeonhole Gabriel Rubio at a specific position.

  • That’s actually very good for Rubio.

Because, while being drafted by the team that drafted his father is an irresistible storyline, there’s another Fighting Irishman who was drafted by the Steelers who Rubio should try to emulate. No, not Stephon Tuitt – that would be too much to ask a 6th round draft pick, but rather Oliver Gibson.

  • The Steelers drafted Gibson out of Notre Dame, in the 4th round of the 1995 NFL Draft.

And although he was officially a nose tackle, he played 60 games for the Steelers working in at all three positions on the defensive line as part of John Mitchell’s legendary rotation system.

That’s the road Rubio needs to follow. In addition to proving he can contribute on special teams, he needs to show coaches he can spell Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, and Keeanu Benton, without ensuring a drop off in play, the same way that Yahya Black did in 2025.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Gabriel Rubio.

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Steelers Draft Daylen Everette, Cornerback Georgia, in 3rd Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Daylen Everette with their second third round pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Daylen Everette intercepts a pass against the Texas Longhorns

Steelers 2026 3rd round pick Daylen Everette intercepts a pass for the Georgia Bulldogs.

In drafting a cornerback, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy leapfrogged inside linebacker on the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix and addressed the roster’s 5th most urgent area of need. The move pivoted Pittsburgh to defense, after addressing offense with the picks of Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard and Drew Allar in the first 3 rounds of the draft.

Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham endorsed Everette’s physical attributes, and praised, “The seriousness he has about football, the focus he has as a young man. I was really impressed by that. And you could just tell there’s some grit there about him and a willingness to get better.”

Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman listed Everette has the top corner on his third round value board.

Watch Daylen Everette Highlights: Steelers 2026 3rd Round Draft Pick

Over the last three years Everette started 41 games for the Georgia Bulldogs, pulling down 5 interceptions and batting away 20 passes. By all accounts his tackling improved, which boosted his draft status.

Everette told Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell that he played press man coverage on “maybe 80, 85 percent of my snaps.” If the video above is indicative of his ability, he was quite effective at it.

How Daylen Everette Fits in the Steelers Secondary Depth Chart

As a 3rd round pick Daylen Everette won’t need to fight for a roster spot, but finding playing time could be a challenge, assuming Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and Brandin Echols stay healthy, they should see the bulk of the work at cornerback, with Jalen Ramsey rotating in as a chess piece.

That being the case, special teams is likely Everette’s ticket to getting playing time, although Patrick Graham reminded reporters that “There’s no depth chart right now. It’s open audition for ballhawks.”

Welcome to Steelers Nation Daylen Everette.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Needs: Defensive Line Remains a Priority

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A year ago, Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell laid out the perfect plan for re-booting the current era of Steelers football: Follow Chuck Noll’s blueprint of drafting a defensive lineman in 2025 followed by a quarterback in 2026.

The Steelers followed the first part of the plan with Derrick Harmon, but then things went awry.

First, 2026 was expected to be a quarterback-rich draft – instead, the opposite happened. Second, Mike Tomlin resigned, ushering in the Mike McCarthy era and a new set of decision makers.

But does all of that mean the Steelers can skip defensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft?

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon during the Steelers 2025 win over the Patriots.

Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Steelers Defensive Line Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

The Steelers drafted Cam Heyward in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and, when all is said and done, Heyward could end up being the best pick of the Kevin Colbert–Mike Tomlin era – no disrespect to T.J. Watt.

In 2025, at age 36 Cam Heyward returned for his 15th season and earned 2nd team All Pro honors further cementing what should be a Hall of Fame resume.

Cameron Heyward, Cam Heyward, Cam Heyward sack Joe Burrow, Steelers vs Bengals

Cam Heyward sacks Joe Burrow. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Besides Cam Heyward, the Steelers have Keeanu Benton whom they drafted in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Benton won the starting nose tackle job that season and, had Nick Herbig not exploded on to the scene, could have won rookie of the year honors.

Since the Benton’s development has been uneven. At times he’s been very strong against the run. At others, he’s struggled. He’s proven to be an asset in the pass rush, having amassed 5.5 sacks in his second year.

Besides Benton, the Steelers have Derrick Harmon, whom they drafted in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Injuries limited Harmon to 12 games and 8 starts, but his absence was noticeable and he looks like an ass-kicker in the making.

The Steelers Defensive Line Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backups

Behind the three starters the Steelers have Yahya Black, Esezi Otomewo, Logan Lee and newly signed free agent Sebastian Joseph-Day. Black started three games and showed tremendous promise. Otomewo and Lee also offer upside, while Sebastian Joseph-Day gives the Steelers something they’ve needed in the form of a true nose tackle.

Kyler Baugh, Jahvaree Ritzie, KJ Henry and Anthony Goodlow round out the defensive line depth chart for the Steelers.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Defensive Line

Defensive line presents the Steelers with one of the more interesting decisions they’ll have to make in the 2026 NFL Draft. And it some ways it may offer a glimpse into how Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham really see their roster.

The key here is Keeanu Benton.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

His play at nose tackle has been uneven. At times he’s been a legit run-stuffer. At others he’s been moved with alarming ease. Outsiders have suggested that Benton isn’t a true nose tackle, and would be better suit out the outside. In fact, Jim Wexell asked Karl Dunbar about this last year after the Steelers drafted Black.

  • Durbar confirmed that he saw Benton as a nose tackle.

The new coaching staff may feel differently, and if that’s the case, it lessens the urgency of finding someone to take Cam Heyward’s place, but it would also create a need to add either a starter or future starter at nose tackle in this year’s draft.

Bringing it altogether, The Steelers’ defensive line need in the 2026 NFL Draft grades out as Moderate.

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Staying Put: Steelers to Re-Sign Cole Holcomb and Asante Samuel Jr.

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The legal tampering period for NFL free agency has begun and two Steelers free agents will be staying in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers agreed to terms with inside linebacker Cole Holcomb in what is being reported as a 2-year 5 million dollar contract. They also will ink a cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. to a one-year deal valued at 4 million dollars.

Cole Holcomb, Davante Adams, Steelers vs Raiders

Cole Holcomb throttles Davante Adams. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Cole Holcomb had been one of the Steelers marquee free agent signings in the 2023 off season, signaling hope that the franchise’s quest to find stability at this critical position might finally be coming to fruition.

Holcomb earned a starting role and was beginning to prove himself as a difference maker, when he suffered a brutal, season-ending injury in the Steelers win over the Tennessee Titans.

Holcomb missed the entire 2024 season rehabbing his injury, but returned to play in 2025 where he appeared in 14 games, made 3 starts and forced a fumble in the Steelers week 3 win over the New England Patriots.

The San Die… er um, Los Angeles Chargers made Asante Samuel Jr. a 2nd round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He began starting as a rookie and held the starting role for 3 seasons, until injuries ended his 2024 campaign after just four games.

Following that Asante Samuel had spinal fusion surgery which was performed by Dr. David Okonkwo and required a long recovery.

The Steelers were one of the few teams to show interest once he was cleared to play. He joined the practice squad in November and first activated him for the Bills game.

His first start came at Acrisure Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. Samuel intercepted a Tua Tagovailoa pass in the 1st quarter just after the Dolphins had crossed into Pittsburgh territory and the play set the tone for a dominating 28-15 win by the Steelers.

Impact of Holcomb and Samuel’s Return to Steelers

Cole Holcomb was the Steelers only unrestricted free agent at inside linebacker, and his signing shores up depth at this critical position. And assuming that the speculation that Malik Harrison could be a salary cap casualty is unfounded, Holcomb gives the Steelers a ready-to-go option behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson.

  • Samuel’s return carries a different impact.

Going into free agency, Joey Porter Jr. is the only Steelers full-time starting cornerback under contract. Samuel gives them depth at this critical position, and along with the signing of Jamel Dean, it also gives Patrick Graham a free hand in deploying Jalen Ramsey where he can be most effective.

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3rd Time’s the Charm? Should the Steelers Re-Sign James Pierre for 2026?

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“The third time’s the charm,” goes the saying. As cornerback James Pierre and the Pittsburgh Steelers approach free agency both sides will get their chance to either prove or disprove this old addage.

Let’s take a look how the dynamics behind this decision will play out.

James Pierre, Cortland Sutton, Steelers vs Broncos

James Pierre seals the win by intercepting a pass to Cortland Sutton. Photo Credit: Justin Aller, AP via BTSC

Capsule Profile of James Pierre’s Career with the Steelers

“…What a long strange trip it’s been.” I have no idea of James Pierre is a Grateful Dead fan, but an has his career embodied Jerry Garcia’s’ famous lyrics.

Just take a look at how 2025 unfolded for James Pierre. He got cut at the end of the summer, started the regular season on the practice squad and by the time it ended the Steelers had cut Super Bowl starter Darius Slay and promoted Pierre in his place.

  • Its been that way since the beginning for James Pierre.

He got his start during the COVID summer of 2020, as Jim Wexell tagged him as a sleeper to make the final roster. Wexell was right. Pierre made the roster and appeared in special teams in 16 games.

In 2021 Pierre started 4 games at cornerback, making an interception to help beat the Broncos. Yet, he struggled at other times and finished the season on the bench. He did make 2 starts in 2022  including the stepping up as one of several injury replacements in the upset of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but only started on other game in ’22.

  • By 2023 his defensive snap count dropped to just 2%, although he continued to excel on special teams.

The Steelers opted let him walk when he reached free agency in 2024, and Pierre signed with the Washington Commanders. In a move Pierre made them regret, Washington cut him before the season’s start, and Steelers quickly added him to their practice squad and promoted him to active roster after a few weeks.

James Pierre, Noah Brown, Steelers vs Commanders

James Pierre deflects a 3rd down pass. Photo Credit: AP, Chaz Palla, Steelers vs Commanders

Pierre played extensively on special teams and participated in 21% of the Steelers defensive snaps in 2024. Pierre’s role grew in 2025 – after he made the active roster – in a season that saw him deflect 22 passes and his 2nd quarter interception of Lamar Jackson against the Ravens set up Kenneth Gainwell’s touchdown, allowing the Steelers to go up 17-3 in a game they won 27-22.

A multi-year contract is the dream of every NFL player, and this is the third time James Pierre has reached unrestricted free agency the Steelers.* Once the Steelers offered him nothing. Last year he got a one-year deal, will James Pierre cash in with the Steelers on his third time around?

*Pierre was a restricted free agent in 2023 and did not get a tender, but a smaller, one-year contract.

The Case for the Steelers Re-Signing James Pierre

The Steelers secondary is a mess – Joey Porter Jr. will hopefully sign a deal to become Pittsburgh’s long-term starter at cornerback, Jalen Ramsey will presumably return as will Brandin Echols, but the Steelers don’t have much depth beyond that (Cory Trice has talent, but can’t stay healthy.)

At age 29, James Pierre has entered the period of his career where experience and athletic talent meet to optimize performance.

James Pierre, Derius Davis, Steelers vs Chargers

Body Slam! Photo Credit: NFL.com

No, no one will ever mention “James Pierre” alongside the likes of Hall of Fame corners Jack Butler, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson or even Ike Taylor. But James Pierre can be a William Gay like player, and Gay provided stability during a tumultuous time for the Steelers secondary.

Signing James Pierre can accomplish the same goal for the Steelers, while giving Pittsburgh the cushion it needs need to avoid another Artie Burns situation – having to reach for a cornerback in the draft.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning James Pierre

James Pierre certainly has a nice story, but there’s a reason why the Steelers were able to let him walk and bring him back twice. He is a solid special teams player and can work in at cornerback, but is he really a long-term starter for the Steelers?

The Steelers need to find a true, legit number 2 NFL cornerback to play opposite Porter, particularly if Jalen Ramsey needs to play safety next year.

James Pierre simply isn’t that man.

The Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and James Pierre

Had Mike Tomlin not decided to put up the Go’in Fishing sign, James Pierre’s return to Pittsburgh would be slam dunk. However, he’s new to Mike McCarthy and Patrick Graham.

By all accounts, the Steelers are interested in bringing Pierre back, but no one should expect Omar Khan to offer a blank check. Expect Khan to make him an offer, but he won’t get into any bidding wars to keep James Pierre in Pittsburgh.

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