The Pittsburgh Steelers held their first padded practice on Monday as they opened the second week of training camp. Pittsburgh is roughly 10 days away from its first preseason game, and head coach Mike McCarthy continues preparing the team for the season ahead. This week, McCarthy appears to have a specific point of emphasis. After focusing on situational football during the first week of camp, McCarthy wants to zero in on possession downs.
McCarthy spoke to the media before practice, and Alan Saunders of Steelers Now confirmed the team's focus.
“Mike McCarthy said the emphasis of today's Steelers training camp practice will be third and fourth downs.” Saunders reported on X.
Needless to say, it's an area where the Steelers need to improve.
Steelers' defensive possession-down woes
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In 2025, the Steelers allowed 98 third-down conversions on defense, the third-most in the NFL. Even more concerning, they surrendered a league-high 28 fourth-down conversions.
The issue became especially evident in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore converted two critical fourth downs, including one that put the Ravens in position to win the game.
Of course, Tyler Loop missed the field goal, allowing the Steelers to secure the AFC North title. Still, allowing opponents to convert 28 of 38 fourth-down attempts is unacceptable for one of the NFL's highest-paid defenses.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will need to make this a major point of emphasis as he prepares the unit for the 2026 season. If one side of the ball must take a significant step forward this year, it's the defense. With the talent on the roster, the expectations are much higher.
Steelers' offense has room for improvement
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The Steelers' offense also has room to grow. Last season, Pittsburgh ranked 12th in overall conversion rate and 16th in total third-down conversions. Improving in those areas would help elevate the offense and create more consistent drives.
McCarthy has already spent considerable time working with the offense on situational football, and possession downs naturally go hand in hand with that emphasis. One of the best ways to help the defense is to keep it off the field by sustaining drives and converting on third and fourth downs.
McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are already familiar with each other's approach in these situations. This week's emphasis should also benefit young quarterbacks Will Howard and Drew Allar as they continue developing this part of their game.
Young quarterbacks often take a more aggressive approach in high-leverage situations. Learning how to consistently execute on possession downs can help them manage games more effectively early in their careers.
