With the regular season about to begin, it marks the official start of Mike McCarthy's tenure as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. He will be judged by his wins and losses with the team, which shows that this group has a lot to prove.
Many disliked how Mike Tomlin-led clubs sat in the mediocre middle of the standings over the past nine years, and they hope that McCarthy can turn things around.
There are many question marks across the Steelers roster going into the campaign. They have some issues both on offense and defense, but the belief is that McCarthy can form the offense into an effective group. Without certain players ready to go and a preseason process without many starters in the lineup, this team could witness many issues pop up in the locker room, especially early on.
Pittsburgh Steelers first season under HC Mike McCarthy must find effective solutions
What happens if Dylan Cook cannot hold down the fort while Max Iheanachor develops?
After seemingly winning the starting right tackle job due to injury setbacks on the roster, Dylan Cook failed to run away with the gig. Max Iheanachor remains likely to eventually take over his starting job, even though the rookie doesn't appear ready to replace him at the start of the season.
Cook doesn't look to be a great option to start at right tackle, but the Steelers need him to play well enough to buy time for Iheanachor.
Will the missed time for the secondary to gel lead to many defensive breakdowns?
One of the areas of concern on defense is the secondary and the starting units' lack of snaps together this summer. Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker, Jamel Dean, and Joey Porter Jr. will probably be suiting up for the team in Week 1, but none of them have had proper time to come together as a solid unit.
The Steelers might have some defensive breakdowns resulting from miscommunication.
Can Aaron Rodgers hold a constructive relationship with Mike McCarthy?
Following many successful years in Green Bay, Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers' relationship deteriorated towards the end of that tenure. There was clearly some animosity that grew between the two as the Packers started to struggle under McCarthy's leadership. Pittsburgh cannot afford to get into a rut early in the season, as that past rift between the duo could rear its ugly head once again.
What if none of the inside linebackers prove they are better than last year?
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the Steelers' offseason was their lack of boosting their inside linebacker group.
They failed to change it from last season, and for the most part, that group played poorly. Without any change, the club is betting on Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson rebounding in a big way. If that group fails to show massive signs of improvement, the defense will struggle.
Will the offense carry the defense, or will it be more of the same?
The main reason the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach was to locate a future quarterback and for their offense to finally show signs of life. The NFL is an offensively driven game nowadays, and the club seems ready for its offense to reach new heights. Pittsburgh's defense has carried the club for many years, but now it's time for their offense to finally take the lead.
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