DK Metcalf was one of many exciting offseason acquisitions by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s one of the most physically gifted wide receivers in the NFL. However, through the first three games of the season, Metcalf hadn’t been as impactful as some might have hoped. He only had 10 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. However, Metcalf had a much more explosive day in Week 4, posting five catches for 126 yards and one touchdown. He believes that was a breakthrough performance for him in Pittsburgh.
“Today felt like I’m home now. I’m here.” Metcalf said after the Steelers’ 24-21 win over the Minnesota Viking via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s YouTube channel. “But like I said, nothing happens without the o-line blocking and defense playing the way that they did.
“[Calvin Austin III] really popped a couple of those for me, running on the backside of things and taking two, three defenders out of there, giving me space to really work.”
Metcalf didn’t play in the preseason, so it wasn’t too surprising to see him get off to a slow start. For the first time in his NFL career, he switched teams, and no matter how talented a player is, that comes with some challenges.
However, Metcalf’s start wasn’t just slow. At times, it was downright ugly. He dropped several passes that were very catchable. No receiver is perfect, and all of them drop passes from time to time. Considering the contract extension that the Steelers gave Metcalf, though, expectations for him are higher than that.
Week 4 was the kind of performance that the Steelers expected out of Metcalf when they traded for him. His power and athleticism were on display often. His 80-yard touchdown helped the Steelers get rolling in the first half. Against a stout Minnesota Vikings defense, Metcalf was a difference maker.
Now, the Steelers are going into their bye week, and hopefully, that doesn’t cool Metcalf off. The Steelers might need him to continue playing red hot. Austin left their Week 4 game with an injury, although it’s unclear the severity of it. If he’s forced to miss significant time the Steelers might need to rely on Metcalf even more in the passing game. And he showed in Ireland that he can carry that load.
