The Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the New Orleans Saints on the ground during their 16-10 victory in Paris this week, and head coach Mike McCarthy pulled out a familiar tactic that the 2025 Steelers offense often deployed. Pittsburgh reintroduced the "Jumbo" package, using backup guard Spencer Anderson as a sixth offensive lineman.
The results were impressive. On 13 snaps out of that formation, they ran the ball 12 times for 77 yards and passed once for six yards, according to Sumer Sports. That's a healthy 6.4 yards per play. McCarthy was asked if the Steelers' success using that package last year influenced his usage of it in this game during his press conference on Monday.
"Oh, absolutely," McCarthy said. "When you get the job, the first thing you do, you sit down, you start going through the personnel, and Spencer (Anderson), I was so impressed with him - it was a big part of the discussion of how we were trying to forecast where we felt he could play."
McCarthy's interest in getting Anderson on the field even after losing his starting job says a lot about the former seventh-round pick, but it's clear that he is best utilized the way he was in Week 7.
Mike McCarthy seems to finally understand how to best utilize the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive talent
McCarthy's decision to deploy the Jumbo package against the Saints is a good sign that he is finally starting to realize what all of the stats already show: Pittsburgh is far better at playing smash-mouth football than airing it out. Leaning into that reality by using heavier formations will make it even harder for teams to contend with the duo of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.
Pittsburgh rushed for a season-high 148 yards against the Saints, and Warren and Dowdle combined for 222 total yards on 36 touches. That right there is what the offense's identity can and should be, even if it means limiting how much Aaron Rodgers can impact the game with his arm.
Despite a few more flashes of brilliance this season, Rodgers is still a very limited player at 42 years old. Whether he likes it or not, he can no longer carry an offense the way he could earlier in his career. If he wants his NFL swan song to be a happy one, both he and McCarthy need to keep resisting the urge to fall back into their comfort zone. Anderson's usage this week suggests that they are heading in the right direction in that regard.
If they continue leaning on their strengths, and the defense keeps performing the way it has so far this season, the Steelers' first playoff win in a decade may be more possible than anyone expected.
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