Two weeks ago, the New England Patriots suffered a devastating loss in a 2026 Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks. The rough start worried fans; they began questioning whether the team could make another run or if it would just be another disappointing year. Well, after week two, it seems the Patriots are figuring it all out, while the Pittsburgh Steelers are fighting to even get a few points on the board.
It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled in the past few years. With some of the most loyal fans, every pre-season is filled with talk about how the Steelers are going to stand out, win huge games, and make a playoff run. Unfortunately, in most seasons, the Steelers barely manage a .500 record. If they’re lucky, they might make it to a wild-card matchup, maybe even winning, only to get blown out in the next round.
In Sunday’s loss to the Patriots, the Steelers just could not seem to figure it out. Defensively, they played average at best, holding the Patriots to only two touchdowns. This could be in part due to the Patriots’ Drake Maye’s current struggles, but for the sake of argument and pride, let’s just say the Steelers ‘ defense performed well.
Offensively, though, we saw a completely different story. Pittsburgh’s offense was abysmal, with some players and specific plays even drawing the (unwanted) attention of multiple news outlets. To start with, Aaron Rodgers has been consistently underperforming. Maybe it’s his age, or maybe he just isn’t connecting with his teammates, but either way, throwing for only 187 yards and recording an interception just cannot lead a team to victory.
Of course, he isn’t the only one to blame for Sunday’s loss. Just in front of him, the offensive line was crushed by the Patriots’ defense. They allowed four sacks, two of which were complete disasters. One of these two sacks was plastered all over the media, as Rodgers took a crushing, almost dangerous, hit from one defender and then another within seconds. The other disastrous sack caused Rodgers to fumble the ball, which was picked up and returned for a Patriots touchdown. The line was also disappointing in run blocking, something that truly could have benefited the Steelers, if done well, considering the low number of passing yards.
Next, we have to look at DK Metcalf and his major struggles. Before the season, wide receiver Metcalf signed a huge $30 million deal. Fans were ecstatic and expected the former Seattle Seahawks star to bring the extra strength and skills necessary to win more games. In the first two weeks of the season, this could not be further from reality. In week two, Metcalf had only four catches and 27 receiving yards, a completely unacceptable stat. Some viewers joked that it looked like he had never used his hands before or perhaps had put loads of butter on them before the game. Whatever the case, if he has any hopes for an extension (and some extra money), he needs to figure it out and get back to his old self.
Maybe they’re just off to a slow start, something not particularly unusual for the Steelers. Maybe this season will be so bad that it will call for major changes in the coaching staff and team roster. Only time will tell, but hopefully the Steelers can figure out how to score some touchdowns and not disappoint the entire city for the remainder of the season.