"Why Can't The Players Handle These Things?": Steelers Players Criticized For Things Needed To Be Dumbed Down

The Pittsburgh Steelers have suffered from major offensive struggles through the first two weeks of the 2026 NFL season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done everything he can, but it has still not been enough. The pass catchers are getting no separation and routinely dropping balls, especially star wide receiver DK Metcalf. The offensive line has been awful, leaving Rodgers under heavy pressure at almost every dropback. The rushing attack has been nonexistent as running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle have been hit behind the line of scrimmage nearly every play. 

Head Coach Mike McCarthy was brought in to be an offensive-minded play-caller and give the Steelers a revamp of the offense. The hope was that his expertise could turn things around and get Pittsburgh back to playing efficient football. Through two weeks, nothing has changed. The offense looks as bad as ever, totaling 23 points, with 6 of them coming from a defensive touchdown. The Steelers put up a woeful 3 points against the New England Patriots in Week 2, showing very little promise in their ability to move the ball.

While McCarthy spoke about wanting to simplify the offensive schemes heading into the Steelers' Week 3 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, the fix might not be that easy. The offensive play calling has not been particularly advanced, which leads to concerns over the players' ability to comprehend the style of offense McCarthy is attempting to run.

In a recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly touched on this issue while calling out the offense for its seemingly immature level of execution.

"Why can't the players handle these things? They are professional athletes; they should be able to handle a bigger menu so to speak," Kaboly exclaimed. "Maybe getting the starters some action in the preseason would have helped. Why are you so worried about depth when you do not even know who the starter is?"

Kaboly's questions about the preseason are the same questions many Steelers fans had themselves. Pittsburgh rested the majority of its offensive starters for the entire preseason, which has resulted in the offense looking flat-out rusty. The starting wide receivers saw no action, while the offensive line was being shifted around seemingly every drive. This approach has been detrimental to the offense's chemistry, as none of the players seem to be on the same page. The NFL regular season is not the time to try to fix issues such as these, leaving the Steelers behind schedule. So far, the offense has been extremely concerning and McCarthy's preseason methods could be to blame. 

Week 3 will be a true test for Pittsburgh, as the Bengals defense has performed very well through its first two games. If Pittsburgh's offense this week looks as flat as it did in the first two games, it could very well be time to panic. The clock is ticking for McCarthy and the offense, and the short-term future does not look very promising. 

Steelers' Offensive Line Is The Key To The Team's Efficiency

Through two games, the Steelers' offensive line has looked miserable as mentioned. Against the Patriots, Rodgers was hit or pressured numerous times as he had little time to go through his progressions. The offensive line is made up of some solid players, such as Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu, but they still have flaws. Starting tackle Dylan Cook has looked underwhelming, and rumors about rookie tackle Max Iheanachor taking his starting spot are as strong as ever. Pittsburgh has taken a very cautious approach with their first-round pick, but if nothing changes, the team might not have much to lose by throwing Iheanachor into the mix. 

It does not seem like this offense is a quick fix away from being effective however, so it is going to take the entire roster to step up and play their most efficient football to give the Steelers any chance of being competitive throughout the rest of the season. 

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