DK Metcalf Acknowledges Mistake in Failed Touchdown Play Against Week 10 Loss
The Pittsburgh Steelers have to try and figure out how to make sure that poor offensive performance from Week 10 does not happen again. They showed no ability to move the ball down the field until garbage time late in the fourth quarter. Everything that could go wrong did for that unit. It's probably just an off night, but one more week of that type of play will result in fans panicking and once again loudly proclaiming that change has to happen, especially since their next opponent is currently statistically the worst defense in the NFL: the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took most of the blame for that awful Week 10 performance for his constant overthrows. However, top receiver DK Metcalf explained that his biggest overthrow was actually a good pass, and the incompletion was his own fault.
The play in particular was a scramble drill, and Metcalf tried to modify his route to make things easier on his quarterback. Instead, he missed the chance to get a big touchdown and have momentum swing towards Pittsburgh. Even though the Steelers lost by a lot more than seven points, that play could have helped so much more than the stat sheet could ever say.
Something clearly was not right in Rodgers' head all game long. However, if he connected with Metcalf on that play for what would have been a 41-yard touchdown, maybe that gives him the confidence needed to make those throws that he had missed throughout the game. We will never know for sure, but completing a pass like that definitely raises the confidence and morale of the entire team.
On that same front, maybe Metcalf gains more confidence in his routes if he does the right thing there and catches the ball. He could not get consistent separation throughout the game, as every move he made seemed to be the wrong one.
Steelers Should Learn From Defensive Mistakes
There is one theme that has constantly come up for Pittsburgh's defense over the past couple seasons: doing too much individually and not trusting teammates. There have been many times where the players say that they lost gap integrity or left a man wide open because they wanted to help others. In reality, if they just do their job and stick to their assignments each week, good things will happen.
That can be applied to the offense as well. Run your routes, stick to your assignments, and good things will happen. Metcalf has never been much of an elite route runner, but he still needs to learn this as well. Just do what you're supposed to do, and Rodgers will find a way to get you the ball. There's no need to run flat, especially when you have the ability to go up and score an early touchdown.
Sometimes, it's good to just get back to the basics. All these players in the NFL have these contracts because of how good they are, but sometimes they don't perform like that. They can overthink things, or the team gets behind, and they feel like have to do more -- which just puts them in a bigger hole.
Dan Campbell Explains Why Lions’ First-Round Rookie Has Vanished from the Lineup
Tyleik Williams has been playing less and less on Sundays lately.
The Lions’ first-round rookie, who they selected 28th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft back in April, played just eight defensive snaps in Detroit’s 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
This comes after he saw just 11 snaps in the Lions’ 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9 and 22 in their 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7. He had averaged 30.5 snaps in Detroit’s first six games,
Defensive tackle Alim McNeill’s return from injury against Tampa Bay would definitely explain a general decrease in snaps for the rookie. But to be playing less than a third of his average early-season snap count? There’s got to be more to it than that.
“Tyleik’s just a young guy that is continuing to get better and growing,” Campbell said on his weekly radio appearance on 97.1 The Ticket. “There’s a little inconsistency at times, but that’s not out of the norm. Correct it, get a little bit better, and move on."
Lions rookie on the outside looking in as team gets healthier
It hasn’t been the most productive season for Williams. He currently has six tackles, one tackle for loss, and three passes defended on the year. Although, admittedly, it’s tough to quantify a defensive lineman’s impact using the box score.
McNeill isn’t the only interior lineman playing over Williams. There’s, of course, veteran run stuffer D.J. Reader, who’s played over half of the Lions’ defensive snaps this season. And Roy Lopez, signed this offseason from Arizona, has out-snapped Williams in the last two games (14 and 12).
Lopez had two tackles for loss against Washington, including half a sack.
"He's playing at a high level, man," Campbell said about Lopez. "It's one of the reasons we wanted him here. He's an outstanding role player for us. When he comes in, we don't miss a beat, man. He can lift the point of attack, man. He can. He's one of those guys, man. He plays with leverage. He's stout, he's strong, he's explosive.”
The Lions love Lopez for his violent playing style and strength. He’s quietly been one of their best additions, even if it means keeping their first-round pick on the bench to get Lopez more opportunities.
"The hard thing for [Tyleik Williams], which is a good thing for all of us, is [Alim McNeill] is playing good, [DJ] Reader’s playing good, [Roy] Lopez is playing good,” Campbell said. “So like, hey man, you got some good players in front of you right now, and so what you do is elevate his game, and then he’ll be in front of them.”
It’s still very early in Williams’ career, and like Campbell said, Detroit has a good problem to have at defensive tackle. But the Lions have clearly issued a challenge to him to play better and make more of his opportunities. We’ll see if he can get back in Campbell’s good graces.
