This season, four of the five Pittsburgh Steelers victories have been settled by a touchdown or less. We understand victories are hard to come by in the NFL. But close contests leave little room for error. According to Mike McCarthy, these outcomes are the secret to long-term success.
“It’s nice to win by two or three scores” McCarthy admitted to reporters after a 16-10 win against the Saints. “When you’re in close games you have to make critical plays throughout all the situations in football.”
Well, that sums up Pittsburgh’s Week 7 skirmish against New Orleans. Aaron Rodgers and the offense earned 343 offensive yards. Unfortunately, there was little to show for the effort. Three stalled red zone trips left McCarthy’s offense with only one touchdown scored. Luckily, Chris Boswell nailed three field goals (28, 47, and 39) to keep the Steelers afloat.
Pittsburgh’s inability to build a comfortable lead turned an otherwise manageable matchup into a fourth-quarter test of survival. Every stalled possession gave New Orleans another opportunity to steal the victory.
So imagine how exciting it was to witness linebacker Payton Wilson intercept Tyler Shough inside Pittsburgh’s ten-yard line. The turnover helped put an end to a hard-fought battle and closed the door on New Orleans for good.
It also forced fans to question if Pittsburgh can withstand a Week 8 divisional battle against the Browns.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must break a dangerous habit against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8
I would hope so.
But Cleveland will be sure to put up a fight. Especially because the victor will become first in the division. The last time the two AFC North teams faced off, Todd Monken’s crew walked away victorious. A 27-24 loss to the Browns caused panic in Pittsburgh. Deshaun Watson torched Patrick Graham’s defense to set up an Andre Szmyt 56-yard walk-off field goal.
At the time, Pittsburgh was unprepared to endure close games. McCarthy’s unit fumbled too many crucial decisions and failed to execute critical plays that could’ve changed the final outcome. It was a hard lesson Pittsburgh encountered early in the season. But it may have benefited the franchise.
Since then, McCarthy and his staff have implemented innovations to ensure the same mistakes aren't repeated. An offensive line adjustment and an increase in Jaylen Warren’s workload have helped the Steelers stack three consecutive victories.
The Steelers have learned to survive close games. Now, they must prove they can prevent them. The Browns already exposed Pittsburgh’s weaknesses earlier this season. Another narrow escape won't erase concerns surrounding McCarthy’s offense. A convincing victory would.
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