The Pittsburgh Steelers have been dealing with consistency issues throughout the 2026 season, but they have been good enough on both sides of the ball to be 5-2 as they are currently on a three-game winning streak. Time is running out to get running on all cylinders, as the back half of the schedule will be incredibly tough. There have been many flashes of talent, but if Pittsburgh can put it all together real soon, the team may no longer be the doormat of the playoffs like they have been for almost a decade.
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Steelers' defensive coordinator Patrick Graham (left) stands on the field and speaks with head coach Mike McCarthy as the two watch players workout during 2026 rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh, PA.
Offensively, the run game is one of the best in the NFL. The big problem is that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is no longer a quarterback that can be relied on if all else fails. It doesn't help that the receiver room is very thin with two starters on Injured Reserve (IR). Either way, the passing game is not nearly as strong the team hoped it would be, and that could be an issue in the long run.
The NFL doesn't seem to respect this passing game either: particularly the connection with the top receiver. Insider Jason La Canfora recently wrote about how the connection with wideout DK Metcalf has not been there, and will not develop anytime soon, including a concerning message from an NFL source.
"The immediate connection between Rodgers and Metcalf that so many expected, just has yet to materialize through a season-and-a-half together and banking on that changing, as the weather turns and downfield passing becomes more difficult, seems foolish..." Canfora said. "'They can’t really get on the same page, can they?' said one personnel executive who has watched the Steelers."
The connection between Rodgers and Metcalf has been very shoddy. There have only been two games in 2026 where the receiver had more than 60 receiving yards in a game, and to be fair, he was a key factor both of those respective contests. He even had an 11-reception game in Week 6 when the Steelers desperately needed him to step up. Those two matches just aren't enough, though.
In Metcalf's 115-yard game in Week 4, nearly all of those yards and receptions came in the fourth quarter. The Steelers were down 21-3 before he got going, but it was too little too late as they failed to complete the comeback. A similar situation happened in the aforementioned 11-reception game, as Pittsburgh needed that kind of performance from him and Germie Bernard to come back from being down 16-3.
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Pittsburgh Steelers’ DK Metcalf stiff-arms Sauce Gardner at Acrisure Stadium in 2026.
As La Canfora also brought up, Rodgers has completed 58% of his passes to Metcalf so far in 2026. In Week 7, he was 2/6 on passes to his top wideout, as he kept missing these sideline fades. The one big pass they did connect on led to Pittsburgh's only touchdown of the game as it beat the New Orleans Saints 16-10. The problem is still the same: outside of the occasional big moment, these two are not on the same page at all.
Steelers Made A Mistake Thinking Metcalf Is A WR1
Rodgers wants his wide receivers to be quality route runners that can take advantage of what the defense gives them. Metcalf is not that kind of player, and his skillset does not translate to that of a top-flight receiver. He is a straight-line runner that can fly through zone coverage. However, opposing defenses have figured out that he is not physical enough in press man coverage, so that's how they play him.
Even then, Rodgers keeps throwing these inaccurate balls on sideline fades, and the constant inability to hit him in stride shows that he and Metcalf are still not on the same page on gameday for the most part. He had 98 receiving yards in the first three weeks combined with a 12-yard receiving game in Week 5 too. The Steelers don't need a WR2 to complement the veteran; they need a WR1 that can take over.
What do you think about Rodgers and Metcalf being unable to get on the same page outside of a few quarters in the season? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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