Mike McCarthy Makes Major Adjustment to Steelers DC’s Play-Calling During Colts Game After T.J. Watt’s Outburst

NewsMike McCarthy Makes Major Adjustment to Steelers DC’s Play-Calling During Colts Game After T.J. Watt’s OutburstAdd us on Google

NewsMike McCarthy Makes Major Adjustment to Steelers DC’s Play-Calling During Colts Game After T.J. Watt’s OutburstAdd us on Google

It seems like the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt’s frustration over play-calling in the Week 4 27-24 loss to Cleveland prompted Mike McCarthy to make an adjustment that paid off against Indianapolis Colts.

“It needed to be different,” McCarthy said, according to Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com. “I think communication on game day is such a critical part to your success… You got to be ready to come in here these days, so when I’m talking about we can’t have things that we miss that we’re talking about after the fact. I mean, there’s nothing better than face- to-face communication. So I think when your coordinators and your play callers are on the field, it’s definitely the best case.”

The Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 34-22 at Acrisure Stadium in Week 5. McCarthy made a major shift in the play-calling department before the game, moving defensive coordinator Patrick Graham from the booth to the sidelines, which was what McCarthy had preferred since the preseason. However, Graham has always preferred to be calling plays from the headset rather than being present during the heat.

“It makes it easy for me to see the offensive personnel,” Graham said. “Anybody that’s done offensive personnel for me, they’re always probably the coach that has to do that, they’re probably thankful when I’m up in the box because it’s less, ‘What is it? What is it?’ And it’s just more calm up there. You’ve got your sheets spread out; you go into your different grids to make your calls, but it starts with having trust with the coaches down on the field.”

Before this decision, assistant head coach Joe Whitt Jr. was the one running the defense on the sidelines. Eight-time Pro Bowler Watt got frustrated in the Week 4 loss when the Browns scored three consecutive touchdowns, going up 21-10 at halftime.

Watt grabbed the headset from a coach and ranted continuously to Graham during the game. It felt like a one-sided conversation, with Watt not pausing and later handing the headset back.

The boiling frustration was carried in the post-game presser by Watt. He said that it was “extremely frustrating to not be sitting here 3-1. It isn’t acceptable.” Watt later admitted that the season was long, and things could change from here on. Even Graham commented on Watt’s frustration, seemingly being supportive of players expressing their emotions.

“People always talk about, it’s an emotional game. We’re emotional people. I encourage the emotions in terms of, I want their full selves out there when they’re playing. We deal with conflict head-on,” Graham said.

Graham also said after the Week 4 game that the team was “going to go about fixing things on that field,” and that fixing will require emotions running into your head.

But now, after McCarthy took a stand to make adjustments in the play-calling, the players have felt the difference.

Week 4 game had plenty of hot mic moments that the Steelers would want to forget, because they were filled with agitation. But going into Week 5, McCarthy took notes, and the latest win and players’ delight after it show that things have finally worked as planned.

With Graham on the sideline, the Steelers halted the Colts’ running game, holding Jonathan Taylor to 15 carries for 45 yards and limiting the Colts to just 66 net rushing yards. Linebacker Payton Wilson was uplifted by Graham, who made calls and guided the players.

“He just brought a sense of poise and comfort,” Wilson said. “When giving up an explosive here or there, he was there to show what went on, show us how we are going to fix it, show us how he is going to help us. It was really cool having him down here.”

The defense was highly effective against the Colts, especially the defensive line, as the Steelers didn’t give the Colts much opportunity to run the ball, and the Colts scored only one touchdown all game. Not only that, but the Colts were forced to turn the ball over on downs. Safety Jaquan Brisker also noted a big difference with Graham on the field.

“(Graham) on the sideline, (there was) more communicating,” Brisker said. “Giving us a lot of dialogue. Telling us what he wants. What he’s going to call. It was great. The dialogue was great. The communication between all the coaches and things like that. It was amazing.”

In the end, the Steelers have walked off with a win, being 3-2 in the season, and will play the 1-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in another Sunday Night Football game next week.