The Pittsburgh Steelers have a receiver who can make a defensive coordinator nervous before the ball is snapped. That's a good problem to have, until an opponent decides he deserves extra attention and the passing game must find another route home. Sunday's win in Paris provided a look at that balancing act. Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator sees an opportunity hiding inside it, though his explanation came with a warning.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Brian Angelichio acknowledged Monday that DK Metcalf needs to make more of his opportunities after catching just two of six targets in Pittsburgh's 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints. The offensive coordinator also defended the team's ability to punish defenses that lean coverage toward its biggest receiving threat. Against New Orleans, the alternative wasn't another downfield receiver. It was the backfield.
Metcalf's final line tells an odd story. He managed 56 yards despite only two catches, and 51 of those yards came on a third-and-14 strike from Aaron Rodgers that helped set up Pittsburgh's only touchdown. One play changed the scoreboard. The other five targets produced just a five-yard completion, leaving room to question how consistently the Steelers are involving their top wideout.
During his Monday media availability, Angelichio acknowledged the efficiency issue but explained why a defense's commitment to one weapon can create opportunities for somebody else.
“Certainly you're always striving to, you know, be efficient with the targets, you know, and it's just some of the credit to New Orleans, what they did, you know, to take it away, and, you know, but with that being the case, spread the ball around. You saw the backs were very involved, you know, they were going to try to, you know, and if that's the beauty of it, hey, if they're leaning the coverage or doing things to take away other components of the pass game, now, you know, we got the luxury. Here we go, let's get it to Rico [Dowdle]. Let's get it to Jaylen [Warren], you know, and I think you saw that, you know, Sunday,” Angelichio said.
Rico Dowdle caught all six passes thrown his way for 45 yards. Jaylen Warren added three receptions for 36 yards, giving Pittsburgh's running backs nine catches for 81 yards through the air. Dowdle matched Metcalf's six targets and led the team in receptions. It's a strange receiving leaderboard for a team featuring a physically imposing wideout.
The matchup explains why it can work. When coverage tilts toward a receiver, a quarterback can check the ball underneath before a defender closes. A back releasing into space can turn a short completion into a gain while defenders follow deeper routes. Angelichio didn't identify a particular Saints coverage on every target, so the adjustment shouldn't be confused with proof of one repeated defensive call.
It also doesn't absolve Pittsburgh of its responsibility to get Metcalf involved. A top receiver catching one-third of his targets isn't an ideal trade simply because the running backs are available as outlets. Those throws keep the offense alive but can't always replace a receiver winning against tight coverage.
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Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike McCarthy questions a call at Stade de France in 2026.
The backs did more than catch passes. Warren rushed for 101 yards on 18 carries, while Dowdle added 41 yards on nine attempts. Together, they accounted for 223 yards from scrimmage. Their combined production helped Pittsburgh control possession and convert 10 of 16 third downs. The backfield is becoming a real two-man solution.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy praised the tandem afterward. Warren gives Pittsburgh a physical lead runner who can finish through contact. Dowdle showed he can step into the same offense without everything coming apart when the featured back needs a breather. Both can stay on the field for receiving work, complicating how opponents distribute coverage resources.
There is a caution label attached to Sunday's success. The Steelers finished one-for-four in the red zone and scored just 16 points. Darnell Washington supplied the lone touchdown on a four-yard reception after Metcalf's long catch. A unit can move the chains with dump-offs and still have trouble when safeties no longer need to protect 40 yards of grass behind them.
That leaves Angelichio with an assignment bigger than choosing between Metcalf and the backs. Pittsburgh must make opponents fear the underneath game enough to stop overloading coverage outside, then punish them if they loosen up. Germie Bernard and the tight ends also need to be credible options when Rodgers works through his progressions. Otherwise, defenses may gladly concede short completions to prevent explosive plays.
Steelers Cannot Make The Backup Plan The Entire Offense
Angelichio deserves credit for recognizing what New Orleans was offering and accepting the yards available. Forcing six more throws toward Metcalf merely to satisfy his target count would have been poor football. But Pittsburgh should resist declaring the problem solved because its running backs rescued an uneven passing performance. One touchdown and three field goals aren't proof that the offense has found every answer.
The best version of this attack makes the defense regret either choice. Crowd Metcalf, and Warren or Dowdle makes you pay underneath. Start chasing those releases, and Rodgers gets another chance to find his biggest receiver with less attention over the top. Pittsburgh showed half of that equation in Paris. The next test is making the other half just as uncomfortable for the defense.
That's a much more interesting challenge than simply demanding more targets for Metcalf. Angelichio has the counters on his call sheet, and the personnel to use them. Now he needs opponents to believe every adjustment carries a price.
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