A team's strength is measured by how it responds in adverse moments. Well, all eyes are certainly fixed on the Pittsburgh Steelers after an embarrassing 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots. It was difficult watching Mike McCarthy’s team Sunday because offensive issues are still a setback for a team with a quarterback guru and a future Hall of Fame gunslinger under center.
Still, Pittsburgh has yet to find ways to put points on the scoreboard. And their former head coach didn’t hold back from sharing his thoughts on a solution.
“From my perspective, they don’t have a place to hang their hat,” Tomlin said on Football Night in America. It was difficult to argue with him. In years prior, the Steelers carved out an identity through physicality. It helped the offense move the chains while punishing opposing defenders. But this brand of football may have been left in the past.
This season, Pittsburgh ranks 30th in offensive yards per game (249.5). McCarthy’s group also sits at the bottom of the league in rushing yards per game (74.5), slightly below the New Orleans Saints (78).
That’s not acceptable.
To make matters worse, the lack of production is causing issues Tomlin can identify without being on the sideline. “They haven’t established the run, they’re not performing well enough on third down circumstances” Tomlin explained.
His assessment was right on the money. Just take a look at the footage from Sunday afternoon.
Mike Tomlin’s advice for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense is right on time
When the Steelers tried to establish an offensive identity, New England quickly intervened. They limited Pittsburgh to 2-of-12 on third downs—a conversion rate of just16%. The Patriots also held Mike McCarthy’s offense to under 250 total yards. Finding room between the tackles was impossible for Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren.
Pittsburgh finished the afternoon contributing 91 rushing yards. But none of that production resulted in touchdowns.
A consecutive offensive meltdown made it impossible for Aaron Rodgers to stretch the field. He was constantly under pressure, resulting in four sacks and a crushing strip-sack that led to a touchdown. And when he actually had enough time to throw, his receivers proved unreliable.
Germie Bernard finished the afternoon as Pittsburgh’s leading receiver with four receptions on eight targets for 35 yards. DK Metcalf was targeted the most by Rodgers (9) but only hauled in four receptions for 27 yards. Pittsburgh failed to stretch the field, and it cost them in the end.
“And to make matters worse, they are not getting yards in chunks. And sometimes, when you get yards in chunks, it covers up some inadequacies,” Tomlin admitted.
McCarthy’s unit has issues to fix. Luckily, Mike Tomlin was kind enough to share his two cents. Sure, I am confident Mike McCarthy is also aware of the plight his team faces.
But Tomlin’s assessment is nice to have.
Especially knowing the former Head Coach faced similar issues with Pittsburgh a year prior. Tomlin knows these flaws because he spent years trying to solve them himself. It transforms criticism into needed advice. McCarthy wasn’t merely hired to replace Pittsburgh’s longtime coach. His offensive background was expected to correct one of the primary weaknesses of the previous regime. Two games into the experiment, Pittsburgh looks even less explosive.
In 2025, the Steelers ranked 17th in points per game (22.4) and 26th in total offense per game (299.2).
After two weeks, McCarthy’s group ranks 30th in points per game (11.5) and Yards per game (249.5). That’s not the response fans expected from an offense-minded head coach.
It’s hard to admit the Pittsburgh Steelers struggled tremendously for a consecutive week. Why? Because It’s a gut punch for a fan base that hoped the seasoned head coach would solve the franchise’s lingering issue. The transition from Tomlin to McCarthy was supposed to bring offensive innovation and more points on the scoreboard. Instead, it feels as though Pittsburgh’s issues have gotten worse.
I expect McCarthy and his staff to right the ship before we venture deep into the season. It would be the only way to save a campaign that hasn’t begun like fans expected. “They better solve at least one of these problems and really soon,” Tomlin admitted. His words were accurate and on target, and hopefully, the Steelers will heed his advice.
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