When Pittsburgh Steelers fans learned that the NFL had upheld DK Metcalf's two-game suspension, we hoped that it wouldn't matter. Mike Tomlin's team was set to enter Week 17 with a chance to have the division locked up before his team even took the field in Cleveland on Sunday.
But it was all downhill from there. The Baltimore Ravens stunned the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night, while the Steelers ultimately fell to the Browns in a disgraceful 13-6 loss to one of the league's worst teams.
Pittsburgh's biggest problem was their inability to move the football through the air. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 39 passes in this contest, but managed a mere 168 yards through the air. His 4.3 yards per attempt was by far the worst mark of the season for the 42-year-old quarterback, and Rodgers' unspectacular performance was accompanied by a dismal 19.6 QBR, per ESPN.
But all of this might have been avoided had Metcalf played in this game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have witnessed different results in Week 17 had DK Metcalf played
It's hard to say for certain how things would have turned out against the Cleveland Browns if Metcalf had been on the field. While it's impossible to say with confidence that he would have made the difference in the win-loss column, there's no question that his presence would have greatly improved the passing offense.
With Metcalf out, the Steelers were forced to lean on underwhelming wide receiver options Adam Thielen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Scotty Miller. These three veterans—who combine for an average age of 31.6 years old—saw 122 combined passing snaps.
Unfortunately, the results could not have been worse. Thielen, MVS, and Miller combined to earn 21 targets, but turned these opportunities into a mere eight receptions for 60 yards. This equates to a despicable 2.8 yards per target, and Rodgers had a combined passer rating of just 46.3 when targeting this trio in Week 17.
While Metcalf isn't the most complete receiver, he's certainly more threatening than this underwhelming bunch. Thielen, Valdes-Scantling, and Miller don't create much separation at the top of their routes, and they offer very little ability to make defenders miss after the catch.
Meanwhile, with the Browns choosing to play so much man coverage, Metcalf might have been able to make a few play where he took the top off the defense or came down with a deep ball along the sidelines to keep the chains moving and cap off an additional scoring drive or two.
The Steelers' first game without DK Metcalf consisted of just six offensive points and 3.9 passing yards per dropback. We can definitely say that Pittsburgh would have had a better showing in the passing game had Metcalf been on the field, and Tomlin's team is already missing their top weapon badly.