Mike McCarthy won his debut as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach but now, he is seeking a milestone that only three previous head coaches of the franchise have achieved. To do so, his team must finish Week 2 with an unbeaten record.
According to NBC Sports, Mike McCarthy could become the fourth head coach in Steelers’ history to start his tenure 2-0. The other coaches to do so have been Mike Tomlin (2007), Bill Cowher (1992), and Johnny Blood (1937), back when the team was known as the Pirates.
The Steelers won in Week 1 but it wasn’t pretty. McCarthy’s team was able to get the home win against a bad Falcons team 20-13 thanks to a TJ Watt pick six. However, the game could’ve went either way. The Steelers won’t count with Michael Pittman Jr. for the next game.
Steelers’ stats in Week 1 vs Falcons
The Steelers had a mere 264 total yards on offense and just 58 rushing yards throughout the game. Pittsburgh struggled to move the chains and when you can’t run the ball, you can’t open up the playbook for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The good thing is the defense looked as good as ever. They allowed just 238 total yards to Atlanta, limited the Falcons to just 2/12 on third downs, sacked Cooper Rush four times, intercepted them twice, and instill fear on the opposing offense.
Who are the Steelers facing in Week 2?
Pittsburgh is ahead of a tough task as they face Super Bowl runners-up Patriots in Week 2. New England was very bad in Week 1, but the team had a long week to prepare and is seeking a bounce back spot.
However, the Steelers should win the battle in the trenches and the Patriots don’t have star wideout AJ Brown available. Hence, McCarthy should feel brave and plan a good performance against New England.
