Steelers' Mike McCarthy Sets Clear Goal For 2 Offensive Weapons After Quiet Start

The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent two weeks searching for the easiest way to make a complicated offense function more consistently. Protection has broken down, the running game has lacked rhythm and explosive passes have been difficult to manufacture. Sometimes the solution does not require another section of the playbook. Pittsburgh already has two enormous matchup pieces playing meaningful snaps every Sunday, and Head Coach Mike McCarthy sounds increasingly interested in making sure their impact extends beyond the blocking column.

McCarthy wants Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington more involved as receivers. Both tight ends remain central to Pittsburgh's weekly offensive plans, but McCarthy acknowledged Wednesday that he would like the passing game to create more opportunities for them to actually finish plays with the football.

During his Wednesday media availability, McCarthy made the goal clear.

“Obviously Pat, Darnell are a big part of our plans each and every week… We just got to keep trying to create opportunities… I’d definitely love to see those guys get more catches,” McCarthy said.

Freiermuth has been involved more than Washington through the first two games. He has nine receptions for 78 yards and Pittsburgh's only offensive touchdown of the season, catching five passes for 46 yards against Atlanta before adding four for 32 in New England. Washington has three receptions for 25 yards, with only one catch coming during Sunday's 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots.

Combined, that is 12 catches for 103 yards through eight quarters. It is not nothing, particularly with Freiermuth functioning as one of the steadier pieces around Aaron Rodgers. It also does not resemble an offense consistently forcing defenses to deal with the problem presented by putting a 6-foot-5 Freiermuth and 6-foot-7 Washington on the field together.

Pittsburgh spent the offseason imagining considerably more possibilities. Freiermuth provides the cleaner route-running profile and has repeatedly shown an ability to find space in the middle of the field. Washington can make a routine completion significantly less routine for the defender assigned to tackle 264 pounds in space. The Steelers' own preseason evaluation described both players as deserving of No. 1 tight end consideration, even if their skill sets reach that destination differently.

That combination should be particularly valuable while the rest of the offense searches for stability. Tight ends can give Rodgers answers against pressure without requiring the offensive line to hold up long enough for every route to develop downfield. A linebacker worried about Washington blocking him cannot casually assume the giant attached to the formation is staying there once the ball is snapped. Freiermuth can exploit the same uncertainty by releasing into areas vacated by defenders reacting to the run.

The frustrating part is Pittsburgh already flashed what those possibilities can look like. Freiermuth caught five of his five Week 1 opportunities for 46 yards and scored on a 6-yard touchdown after Rodgers extended the play. Washington caught two passes for 18 yards, including a reception where his size immediately became a problem after the catch. The pair accounted for seven completions in the opener before that total fell to five in Foxborough.

Their blocking responsibilities complicate the conversation. Washington, in particular, provides value even when his name never appears in the receiving column. Pittsburgh has leaned on his size at the point of attack, while Freiermuth earned praise from Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio for his effort as a blocker and his awareness when plays extended. More targets cannot come at the expense of the things already making both players useful.

McCarthy's challenge is making those responsibilities work together rather than choosing between them. If Washington only becomes a receiving threat when Pittsburgh obviously wants him in a route, defenses receive a useful clue. The value comes when the same personnel can produce a downhill run on one snap, play action on the next and a quick middle-field completion without changing who enters the huddle.

That versatility was part of the excitement surrounding Pittsburgh's tight-end possibilities before the regular season. Two games later, the offense has not consistently turned the idea into production. The Steelers have scored only one offensive touchdown, and a 20-3 loss made every underused answer on the roster worth examining.

Steelers Have Too Much Invested To Leave These Weapons Quiet

This is not about force-feeding either tight end simply to improve a reception total. Pittsburgh's passing game has enough problems without turning every possession into a statistical scavenger hunt. The larger issue is whether the offense is making defenses account for all of its useful pieces.

Freiermuth and Washington are both under long-term contracts, and Pittsburgh entered the season believing McCarthy and his staff could find ways to feature both. Washington openly discussed expecting a larger passing-game role under a tight end-friendly coaching staff, while Freiermuth entered the year optimistic about how McCarthy would use the middle of the field. Now McCarthy is publicly asking for more catches from them.

That creates a fairly straightforward Week 3 challenge. The Steelers do not need to reinvent an offense that already contains useful answers. They need to stop leaving so many of those answers unused. Freiermuth and Washington are already a significant part of Pittsburgh's plan. McCarthy's next task is making sure opposing defenses can tell.

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