The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to get a 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints on the back of their run game, both offensively and defensively. Jet lag was clearly not an issue there, as they held New Orleans to just 18 yards on 17 rush attempts while managing to rack up 150 yards of their own, excluding kneel-downs. With how well that unit has done over the past few weeks, that doesn't seem to be a total fluke either. This front four may just legitimately be that good, even with injuries piling up.
Jordan Perez / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers defensive tackle Keanu Benton during Week 1 matchup against the Falcons on September 13, 2026.
The main problem for the Steelers is consistency. They can either go off in a given week or struggle to get anything going, and that's the case for every facet of the team. Offensively, they have struggled to turn long drives into touchdowns in the previous two games. Eight field goals were attempted in that time frame, with seven of them being made. More of those drives need to make it to the end zone.
Insider Ray Fittipaldo brought this concern up as well. He wrote about what needs to change in his latest Steelers report card.
"As the play-caller, [Mike] McCarthy has to do a better job in the red zone," Fittipaldo said. "This game was much closer than it should have been because the Steelers converted only one of their four opportunities in the red zone."
Head Coach Mike McCarthy has been very up-and-down as the play-caller for Pittsburgh through 2026. He has made good adjustments, like utilizing bigger personnel sets more often, but he also has a tendency to overthink things sometimes. In the red zone, that latter part seems to come out more often, as drives tend to stall out and the Steelers need to rely on Chris Boswell to get the job done.
The Steelers were just 1/4 on red zone trips in Week 7, although the last one ended in a kneel to run the clock out. They did capitalize on their only goal-to-go situation, but they need to do a better job of getting in those situations when they get inside the 20-yard line. Pittsburgh has not exactly been great in that area throughout the year either, especially when it had to kick after getting the ball at the three-yard line in Week 6.
Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (9) looks on after kicking a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
The issue seems to be very clear: McCarthy has a tendency to abandon the run game once the Steelers get inside the red zone. That's easily the best part of this team, but he doesn't give these backs much of a chance to finish the drive that they made. Pittsburgh only has one rushing touchdown through seven weeks in 2026, and it was a 50-yard breakout back in Week 5. For a run-heavy team, that is a big problem.
Steelers Might Be Focusing Too Much On The Stats And Storylines
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in his final season of his career, and he's looking to go out with a bang. The broadcasters in every Steelers game keep bringing up his career achievements and how close he is to the next quarterback in a certain stat. With some of these red zone calls and the constant abandonment for the run game, it seems like Pittsburgh may be a bit too worried about that each week.
Rodgers recently became the second Steelers quarterback ever to throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games. In Week 7, he officially passed Peyton Manning for third place on the all-time passing touchdowns list. That's great and all, but if this team keeps trying to help him pad his stats instead of calling the right plays, these lost points could cost them against better opponents.
What do you think about the Steelers' questionable red zone plays and their struggles with getting touchdowns? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
#SteelerNation