Mike McCarthy didn’t do any finger-pointing when it comes to the Steelers’ offensive struggles in Week 1’s win over the Falcons
The Pittsburgh Steelers won Sunday’s opener despite a bad offensive performance, but Mike McCarthy isn’t pointing fingers; instead, he’s taking accountability and explaining what’s going to chnage going forward.
The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2026 NFL season with a Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons, but the offense left plenty to be desired. Steelers coach Mike McCarthy wasted no time taking accountability for a unit that sputtered through much of Sunday’s victory. When asked if the offense performed to the level that he expected against Atlanta, he said, “I wouldn’t say it was what I expected,” via the Steelers YouTube channel.
That kind of honesty from a head coach after a win is noteworthy. The truth is, most coaches deflect after a game like this. You hear the usual refrains about having a great week of practice or praising the effort of the group. McCarthy went the other route, and it’s worth respecting.
Aaron Rodgers stats vs Falcons
- 24/40 passing
- 221 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
A ‘herky-jerky’ week carried over to the field
McCarthy attributed the lackluster offensive showing to a disjointed week of practice, saying it carried over into his play calling on game day. It makes sense when thinking of the lack of participation in preseason gameses from starters. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers sat out entirely. Wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. were dealing with injuries. The first-team offensive line, running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle all of these pieces were playing together for the first time on Sunday.
That context matters. When your starting quarterback hasn’t taken a snap with his top weapons in a live game until Week 1, some rust should be expected. McCarthy acknowledged as much, and I believe his willingness to own it publicly sets the right tone for the locker room.
The building blocks are there
For one, this wasn’t a performance devoid of promise. If wide receiver Roman Wilson and Metcalf haul in two catchable passes, we’re talking about touchdown throws for Rodgers. If the right side of the offensive line blocks a little better on a few key runs, we’re talking about potential touchdown runs for Dowdle and Warren.
The bottom line is that the Steelers left points on the field. McCarthy also said he plans to run the ball more going forward, which makes sense given that Pittsburgh’s offensive line should have had its way with Atlanta’s front. The run game can be better, and McCarthy knows it.
Getting the jitters out in Week 1
Starting 1-0 while playing your worst offensive football of the season is probably the best thing Pittsburgh could ask for. The Steelers head into a Week 2 matchup against the New England Patriots, and the margin for error tightens from here. You’re not going to face many defenses as forgiving as what Atlanta put on the field Sunday.
So there’s work to do. But the honesty, the transparency, and the accountability from McCarthy after a win he easily could have glossed over tells you something about where this team is headed. If the Steelers can win while their offense finds its footing with a completely new cast of skill players, the ceiling for this group could be high once the cohesion catches up to the talent.
