The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-0 in the Mike McCarthy era, clinching a 20-13 victory over Atlanta in their season opener on Sunday. It was a homecoming win for McCarthy, coaching in front of family and friends against the team he cheered for growing up, but don’t let the scoreboard fool you. The veteran head coach laid it all out there, admitting the offensive performance was far from pretty.
“Herky Jerky” Offense Has McCarthy Taking Blame
Seriously, the stats paint a messy picture. Pittsburgh’s offense barely scraped by with just 264 total yards, and a meager 58 yards on the ground. Atlanta actually snagged more first downs, 16 to 15, and the Steelers racked up seven penalties for 52 yards. McCarthy didn’t mince words, describing the offensive rhythm as “herky jerky.” He even straight up took responsibility, saying he didn’t have the team fully ready to play. “I would say it’s what I expected it to be,” McCarthy stated in his press conference. He added that the “week of training going into it was a little herky jerky,” and thought it “carried over in some parts of the game.” Aaron Rodgers targeted DK Metcalf 10 times, but only connected four, with pass interference calls and some drops contributing to the low numbers. McCarthy even called *himself* out for his play-calling decisions! “I thought the play-caller on offense was herky jerky,” he admitted. “I didn’t think I did a great job getting the players into a rhythm at certain parts of the game.” Rough stuff, especially with the Steelers going 3-13 on third down and missing a field goal, plus a botched 62-yard attempt.
Defense Saved the Day, But What About the Offense?
Despite the offensive struggles and special teams miscues, the Steelers still got the W, and we know who to thank for that. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were an absolute nightmare for Atlanta, each recording two sacks! And when the game needed to be put away, Watt stepped up big time with a pick-six in the fourth quarter. That’s the kind of clutch play that wins games when the offense is still finding its footing. McCarthy acknowledged this early-season sloppiness is just “the way it goes in September” in the league, with teams coming “out of training camp a little differently.” This was the first time guys like Rodgers, Metcalf, Michael Pittman, and Pat Freiermuth were all on the field together in a meaningful game with McCarthy at the helm.
The Steelers are looking to clean things up and go 2-0 when they face the New England Patriots in Week 2. Can they establish a new era of Steelers offense that actually clicks, or will the “herky jerky” rhythm persist? We’ll find out soon enough!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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