The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense has held them back for the last several years. While much of that can be blamed on their inconsistency at quarterback, their play calling has often been an issue, too. However, that could change with Mike McCarthy at the helm now. He’s the Steelers’ head coach, but he’s also going to be calling plays. Because of that, and several of the Steelers’ other moves, analyst John Breech believes Pittsburgh’s offensive woes could finally end.
“What is this offense going to look like under Mike McCarthy?” Breech said recently on CBS Sports HQ. “We know Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy spent a lot of time together in Green Bay… When you look at this Steelers offense, there are so many new elements to it…When Rodgers was throwing the ball last year, it was DK Metcalf or no one at receiver. Now, you have Michael Pittman [Jr.], you have Germie Bernard…
“You look in the backfield, they added Rico Dowdle, who has gone over 1,000 yards in two straight seasons with two different teams…Then, you look at what Mike McCarthy has done since leaving Green Bay. You look at his last four seasons in Dallas. The Cowboys ranked in the top four in points scored in three of those four seasons. This feels like a situation where the Steelers’ offense could be surprisingly good.”
McCarthy might catch some flak for being an older coach, but his offenses have had recent success. He was with the Cowboys for five seasons, and for three of those years, their offense was a top-15 unit. That includes being No. 1 in 2021.
Yes, the Cowboys had more talent than the Steelers, especially with Dak Prescott under center. However, the point is that the Steelers’ offense might finally escape the bottom of the NFL. There were times when it would’ve been more fun getting a tooth pulled than watching that unit.
It’s unlikely that Rodgers and McCarthy are going to recreate the success they had with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers isn’t the same player as he was then. However, he’s still got a strong arm, and his mind is as sharp as ever.
Also, the Steelers’ offense has upgraded at several other positions. Receiver has been a weakness for Pittsburgh, but Pittman and Bernard should help fix that. While the team lost Kenneth Gainwell in free agency, Dowdle isn’t a bad replacement. He brings a different skill set than Gainwell, but he’s still proven to be an effective rusher.
The Steelers’ young offensive line could take another leap, too. That group has a lot of young talent, and it took steps forward last year. Pittsburgh’s ceiling could get raised up if its offensive line hits the level that some people think it can.
The 2026 Steelers offense probably won’t reach the same level that McCarthy’s Cowboys did. However, even if it lands in the middle of the pack, that will be an improvement over the last few seasons. That might even be enough for the Steelers to finally win a playoff game.
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