There’s nothing quite like a “coming home” story. Whether it’s a soldier returning from overseas or a young woman returning home after traveling abroad for years, most of us like the feelings these moments bring. I’m often reminded of the old Folgers Coffee Christmas Commercial where young Peter arrives home early one morning from college and puts on a pot of coffee which wakes the whole family. I can already feel the goosebumps… The return of Mike McCarthy to his beloved Pittsburgh is starting to bring these warm feelings as well.
At 6-2 and atop the AFC North, McCarthy has reason to be feeling good. His fan base is loving the ‘old school’ approach of good defense mixed with a powerful running game, it’s like the glory days are here again. Big Mike was a guest on Mark Madden’s Radio Show yesterday and left the host openly cheering for the Steelers again. Not something he admitted he thought he would be doing any time soon. McCarthy is honest and tells it like it is which is “Pittsburgh” through and through.
He discussed the defensive line depth and how the offense is finding ways to manufacture explosive plays in ways that we seldom heard from Mike Tomlin. That’s not a slight on Tomlin, just a comment on how different they are in their approaches to the media. Coming out of Sunday’s win over Cleveland the only thing fans should have been upset about was that they didn’t get to hear “Renegade.”
Those paying closer attention though recognize that the lack of hearing their favorite anthem isn’t the only issue though. Mike McCarthy also knows this as well. While the running game is absolutely feasting the passing game is a mess. Aaron Rodgers ranks 30th in Completed Air Yards per Attempt (2.6), 29th in Completed Air Yards per Completion (4.3) and he’s been sacked 23 times which ties him for second overall in the NFL. Only Deshaun Watson has been sacked more (33).
Not all of that is on Rodgers. D.K. Metcalf is a mess, Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman, Jr are both out and he’s continuing to break in Germie Bernard. But if you want to point to anything that could derail this team in the second half of the season, it’s the passing game. McCarthy knows defenses are going to play more man coverage while also trying to shut down his rushing attack. The only way you beat that is by completing passes to keep those linebackers and safeties from coming downhill all the time.
The guy that grew up watching his beloved Steelers in his father’s bar has those same Steelers in a great place through nine weeks. Keeping them there is going to be a much more difficult task and it will live or die with his passing game.
