The Pittsburgh Steelers were outclassed by the New England Patriots on Sunday, 20-3. Pittsburgh’s offense looked sluggish and struggled to move the ball very much at all against a stout Patriots defense. Despite another strong showing by the Steelers defense, who have allowed only allowed 13 points in each of their first two games, it was not enough.
It’s time for our weekly look around the internet to see how the NFL world views the Steelers after their Week 2 blunder in Foxborough.
FOX Sports: No.21 (No. 16 Last Week)
“If that’s the
way Aaron Rodgers is going to play, his last ride might be a short one. At some point, the Steelers may have to take a look at rookie Drew Allar.”
– Ralph Vacchiano
The Athletic: No. 21 (Last Week No.16)
“The first-round tackle is only getting a couple of snaps a game, but that might change with how bad the offensive line looked Sunday. Only the Falcons are saving the Steelers from having the worst EPA in the league (minus-42.94). Fourth-round wide receiver Kaden Wetjen doesn’t have a catch yet but has made an impact as a returner. The best pick of this year’s group may be third-round quarterback Drew Allar, who made the 53-man roster but probably won’t play unless Aaron Rodgers gets hurt.” – Chad Graff and Josh Kendall
CBS Sports: No.22 (Last Week No. 20)
“The offense isn’t doing a lot so far this season, which has to be a concern. The defense played well enough to win at New England.” – Pete Prisco
Pro Football Talk: No.18 (Last Week No. 17)
“Remember when the unofficial media talking point was Mike McCarthy’s high level of attention to detail?” – Mike Florio
NFL.com: No.26 (Last Week No.23)
“It’s difficult to reconcile the dichotomy that currently defines the Steelers. Their defensive front is one of the most complete in football and has caused major issues for the first two offenses it has faced, yet their offense remains abysmal. Mike McCarthy’s arrival permitted Aaron Rodgers to play more aggressively, but Pittsburgh’s offensive line has regressed, the running game is nonexistent and DK Metcalf has been one of the least reliable receivers in football through two weeks. Add in Rodgers’ age and general lack of mobility under pressure (SEE: his two fumbles in Sunday’s defeat), and you have an inept unit. It’s unfair to ask the defense to carry the Steelers on a weekly basis.” – Nick Shook
Yahoo! Sports: No.23 (Last Week No. 20)
“The Steelers have 81 passing attempts, which is third in the league, and they’re passing about 65% of the time despite not being in pass-only mode much of the season. The Steelers never trailed by more than four points in Week 1 and the game didn’t get away from them Sunday until a Rodgers fumble was returned for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Mike McCarthy has just made a decision to pass it over and over like it’s 2011 with Rodgers. Pittsburgh has one offensive touchdown in eight quarters with that approach”. – Frank Schwab
USA Today: No.27 (Last Week No.20)
“It’s been 16 years since HC Mike McCarthy and QB Aaron Rodgers spearheaded an offense that … produced three points. It’s also been 16 years since McCarthy and Rodgers won a Super Bowl together, so …” – Nate Davis
ESPN: No.25 (Last Week No. 21)
“So far this season, Rodgers has completed just 8 of 24 attempts on 31 dropbacks under pressure. He has been sacked six times on such plays. Rodgers is also completing a career-low 50% against the blitz, as his off-target percentage on such throws is a career-worst 30.4%. While the offensive line’s struggles have significantly contributed to Rodgers’ inaccuracy, his decreased mobility at 42 years old has made it even more difficult to manage the pressure.” – Brooke Pryor
This week’s rankings have more disparity than in recent weeks. Some outlets like CBS Sports view the Steelers about the same as they did last week, but outlets like USA Today have the Steelers ranked as the 27th best team in football. The concerns are there for the Steelers, but not everyone is hitting the panic button just yet. The Steelers have what feels like a very important home game this weekend against the 2-0 Cincinnati Bengals. Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers will have their work cut out for them as the Steelers offense looks to rebound against what looks to be a vastly improved Bengals defense.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
- Steelers Week 2 grades in loss to Patriots
- Le’Veon Bell rips DK Metcalf after early struggles
- Troy Fautanu seen in walking boot after loss to Patriots
- Joey Porter Jr rejected $27 million per year deal, per report
- The morning after: Steelers need to make sweeping offensive line changes
