Steelers' Mike McCarthy Gives Detailed Explanation To Rare Head Coach Injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after an admirable fourth-quarter effort that carried into overtime. Pittsburgh erased a 16-3 deficit and won the game 26-19. Neither side of the ball played well, with the defense continuing to struggle against the pass while it sat in soft zone coverage. Aaron Rodgers consistently found Germie Bernard all game, but didn't gain real traction until crunch time. The team will now head to France to take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. 

After halftime, a report surfaced that Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy injured his foot/ankle right before the end of the second quarter and spent all of halftime in the blue medical tent. During halftime, head coaches typically talk to the team about what to clean up and potentially what to expect. But, it appeared this wasn't the case. With McCarthy not in the locker room to talk to his team, many in Steeler Nation believed he may have not addressed his collective. 

During his postgame press conference, McCarthy cleared the air, saying that even though he wasn't in front of the team, he communicated through his headset. McCarthy said he spoke with assistant head coach Joe Whitt Jr., who relayed everything to the locker room. 

"I got my foot stepped on, and so we have a really good medical staff, so I just communicated from the tent to the locker room," McCarthy stated. "Yeah, Joe Whitt [Jr] — Joe Whitt did a great job. Joe has head coaching responsibilities normally, so they didn't miss a beat. Adjustments were made, and halftime's quick anyways. And frankly, the biggest part was really just getting the offensive conversations to me when the guys came out."

Although McCarthy couldn't get his message directly to the team, the roster still heard it and showed up in the second half. The offense took a little longer to get going, but the defense conceded just six total points in the second half while playing much tighter coverage. Jalon Daniels struggled mightily in the second half as the secondary adjusted, and Jamel Dean had a huge game, getting his revenge against his former team. 

The Steelers got huge contributions from their top cornerback and wide receiver. Dean picked off a pass and locked down the game, while DK Metcalf caught 11 passes for 93 yards, including huge plays in the fourth quarter. Metcalf has struggled most of this season, but he finally found his game in Tampa; hopefully, this trend continues for Pittsburgh. 

Bernard and Metcalf both stepped up despite the offense being down three wide receivers. Rodgers looked shaky at first but improved as the game went on. The offense hasn't been consistent this season, but it's clearly better than in years before McCarthy's schematics. The group has struggled to start games and has fallen behind as a result. They overcame the deficit today, but that won't always happen. 

Steelers Offense Needs To Start Faster

Most of the season, the Steelers offense has struggled to score early. They ended the streak, but they've still surpassed 10 points in the first quarter only once this season. The defense has its struggles and won't always be playing an undrafted rookie quarterback. They will need to start scoring earlier in games and allow the defense some leeway. 

The opening-drive script has been conservative, with play calls designed to feel out the defense rather than attack early. Being more aggressive on the opening few drives could spark the offense and help it steal a touchdown early. Also, getting the playmakers involved early could help the group get into a flow state. Getting the ball to Metcalf and Warren could get them going and create big plays. 

The offense has improved weekly, but their slow starts need to change if the Steelers want a chance at the playoffs. Scoring more on early drives, rather than relying on a miraculous second-half comeback, is a much easier way to win games. 

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