Steelers HC Mike McCarthy leaves door open for roster changes after blowout loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a devastating blowout loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, with their offensive performance being the primary culprit. Head coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged the shortcomings of the offense and the harsh reality that the loss would rest on him. McCarthy had warned before the game that this kind of performance was expected, but vowed to make changes to alleviate the pressure on quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers was clearly under immense stress throughout the entire game, and McCarthy hinted that the offensive line would be the area of focus for potential roster adjustments. McCarthy expressed his desire for Rodgers to have better platforms to throw off of, stating that he did not want to simply dink and dunk all day. While the left side of the offensive line - left tackle Troy Fautanu, left guard Mason McCormick, and center Zach Frazier - were not impressive, McCarthy emphasized that the right side of the line, featuring guard Spencer Anderson and right tackle Dylan Cook, was the critical area that required improvement.

Both Anderson and Cook struggled on Sunday and McCarthy suggested that young players such as Gennings Dunker and Max Iheanacho could receive first-team reps as the season progresses.