Mike McCarthy knew the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense was carrying too much into Sunday’s 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots. He saw it in practice Wednesday and Thursday, took the full plan into the game anyway, and watched it fall apart.
Afterward, McCarthy took the blame. Aaron Rodgers wouldn’t let him own it alone. Both were right. Pittsburgh’s plan failed right along with its execution.
The Week 2 loss exposed Rodgers and the offensive line. The Steelers gained just 235 yards, went 2-for-12 on third down, allowed four sacks for 43 yards, and surrendered a strip-sack touchdown. Their defense held New England’s offense to 13 points, forced two turnovers, and recorded three sacks. Three points wasted a winnable game.
This had been coming. The passing attack struggled in Week 1, when Pittsburgh scored one offensive touchdown and went 3-for-13 on third down. New England took those same rough edges and turned them into a 17-point beating.
Mike McCarthy admits he waited too long to simplify the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense
“I felt it on Wednesday and Thursday. I am a veteran coach. I know better,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t do a good job.”
Coach McCarthy spoke to the media. @Acrisure pic.twitter.com/iokAxjzoIE
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 20, 2026
McCarthy being real is good. The decision, not so much. McCarthy felt the plan was getting away from his players during practice and still didn’t trim it before kickoff.
That means fewer formations, personnel packages, protection checks, motions, and route adjustments. A smaller menu should create more practice reps for fewer calls, get the offense out of the huddle faster, and reduce the number of decisions every player must make around the snap.
The offense’s mistakes came after the snap, not before it. The unit wasn’t undone by a pile of false starts or delay penalties. The damage came on two strip-sacks: one all-out blitz produced a fourth-and-43, and Christian Barmore’s fourth-quarter strip-sack became New England’s clinching touchdown.
McCarthy said the Steelers expected the pressure. They still couldn’t handle it.
Steelers must clean up protections before their AFC North stretch vs. Bengals, Browns
“I’ve seen Mike for 14 years, so Mike is going to take accountability,” Rodgers said after the game. “Sometimes when it’s not his fault, he doesn’t need to do that.”
Rodgers also put himself and the players in the hot seat. He said his performance wasn’t good enough and acknowledged that it’s his job to tell McCarthy which calls are working.
Rodgers can process an extensive sheet, and he knows McCarthy's language after many years shared in Green Bay. The other 10 players don’t. Rodgers may have the perfect answer, but it won’t save the play if the center, guard, and running back aren’t identifying the same rusher.
McCarthy can’t confuse simpler with safer. Trimming the playbook won’t matter if the protection still collapses. The Steelers still need to attack, just with a tighter menu and sharper execution, while giving Rodgers quick and reliable answers when defenses heat him up.
Pittsburgh needs to get its act together because the next two games are consecutive AFC North matchups, with the Bengals visiting Pittsburgh before the Steelers travel to face the Browns four days later. Cincinnati has every reason to keep sending pressure until Pittsburgh proves it can answer, and Cleveland will attempt the same.
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