Week 2 of the NFL season was unkind to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that was mostly their own doing. Many thought they would have a better showing after an up-and-down performance in Week 1. Sadly, the Seattle Seahawks came to town and played spoiler for Pittsburgh's home opener. The Steelers appeared to regress as the game unfolded, and fans are concerned.
Similar issues that plagued the team last week resurfaced in their second game of the season. One player no one was worried about going into the campaign was star receiver DK Metcalf. The Steelers paid a heavy price to acquire the "prized" acquisition during the offseason. They gave up a second-round pick this past spring and signed him to a massive contract.
His playmaking ability is undeniable, and while it’s difficult to be too critical of Metcalf’s performance, he has shown some flaws.
His ability to make plays after the catch is one of his best abilities. The issue is that he has failed to secure passes on a routine basis. He prides himself on securing a catch and then making plays, but he is already showing a troubling trend in the first two weeks of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers should be concerned about DK Metcalf's early season drops
Metcalf remains the top receiver for the Steelers, but he hasn't been able to remain consistent in hauling in passes. The issue in Pittsburgh through two weeks of the season has been his inability to be a reliable receiver. He had a couple of drops against Seattle, and he suffered the same issues in the first game in New York. He is already approaching dangerous territory.
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During his seven seasons with the Seahawks, the star playmaker's highest drop number on a season was eight. Through two weeks in Pittsburgh, he is nearing the halfway mark with three drops. He only had four last year, and it appears he will be blowing past that.
It's not all his fault, as some of the passes thrown in his direction have been difficult to catch, but he has also just dropped easy completions.
It's hard to be too difficult on the top receiver, as he continues to make plays. Even in a poor outing against the Seahawks, he still produced a contested touchdown and another tough catch that got the Steelers in the red zone. With that being said, Metcalf only produced 20 yards off six targets this past week. The team needs more for the amount of money they're paying him.
Metcalf's talent will hold the panic button from being pressed for now. He is an explosive player, but the number of drops he is struggling with at the beginning of the season is a red flag. He needs to improve that going forward, or it could reflect poorly on the Steelers. They gave him a big contract to be a reliable receiver, but early indications are that they could have some buyer's remorse.