The Pittsburgh Steelers were embarrassed in Week 2 as the team lost by 17 points to the New England Patriots on the road. There were plenty of people to blame following the contest as the offensive line seemed to struggle on every single snap, and wide receiver DK Metcalf continued to struggle with drops. However, Head Coach Mike McCarthy decided to take most of the blame and put it on himself while speaking with the media after the contest. He shared that he saw some bad trends earlier in the week, and he also stated that he may have made the game plan too large going into the matchup.
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Steelers' Mike McCarthy greets Mike Vrabel before a road game against the Patriots in 2026.
While speaking to the media after the game, McCarthy noted that he didn't feel like his team had great days of practice on Wednesday or Thursday leading up to the game with the Patriots. He also stated that the heat during the week of preparation might have played a factor, and it's never good to hear a football coach make an excuse like that.
Practices should not be underwhelming at this point in the year. It is only the second week of the season, and the Steelers were coming off of a win. It can be argued that the team is healthier than it will be all year, so practices should be promising and ignite some optimism within the team. That was not the case before traveling to New England, but according to Brooke Pryor, McCarthy believes the problem has been fixed this week. He said this to the media on Thursday before practice.
"Mike McCarthy said yesterday's practice was the 'best Wednesday' they've had so far," Pryor wrote. "Notable considering he said postgame in NE that he had a feeling last week that the volume was too much."
This is an encouraging sign for the Steelers. The team cannot come out flat after losing a game by three possessions, and the fact that the team came out firing means there is still belief that this group can become something in 2026. It is important that these good practices continue throughout the rest of the week as it is always important to stack good days.
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Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike McCarthy reacts on the sideline at Gillette Stadium during a road loss in 2026.
It is important to note that the players in Pittsburgh are still adjusting to what life is like with McCarthy as their head coach. They got used to training camp practices in Latrobe under McCarthy, but preparing for another team and practicing is completely different. It is hard to identify just how different his process is during the season from former head coach Mike Tomlin's, but it is fair to assume they are not the exact same. There are going to be changes and a significant adjustment period, and it is going to be crucial that the organization finds a way to weather the storm.
Steelers Have Critical Stretch Ahead Of Them
Pittsburgh takes on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Week 3, and then it is a quick turnaround before playing the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football in Week 4. These are the first two games that the Steelers will be playing in the AFC North, and it is important that the Steelers can find a way to win these in order to keep pace in the division. Every team in the AFC North is currently 1-1 aside from Cincinnati, which is 2-0 to begin the year and alone at the top of the AFC North.
How the team comes out in these critical contests is going to be indicative of the type of team the Steelers will be in 2026. The fans don't know much about this squad quite yet. All they have seen is the group beat a third-string quarterback and then get embarrassed on the road, so the next two weeks will be important to pay attention to.
What do you think about McCarthy stating practices this week have been better than last week? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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