A week ago, people were screaming for Mike Tomlin’s head, and criticizing Pittsburgh’s offense for being a non-factor against the Buffalo Bills while their defense got run over… literally. Today, yinz celebrate a 27-22 victory over the arch-rival Baltimore Ravens, taking the lead in the AFC North with four more games to play. A big reason for Pittsburgh’s success in this game?

They finally fed DK Metcalf like the WR1 he was paid to be this offseason after Pittsburgh acquired him from the Seattle Seahawks. Metcalf had made flashes to start the season, scoring five touchdowns in his first seven games with the team. After that, he went through a cold five-game stretch where he saw no more than 49 in a single contest.

However, Metcalf went off in his first meeting against Baltimore as a member of the Black and Gold, catching seven passes on 12 targets for 148 yards, a season-high. The film tells a greater story about his efforts, both with the ball in and out of his hands.

THE FILM

Metcalf started the game off with a bang, reeling in a 52-yard bomb from Aaron Rodgers on the offense’s first snap of the afternoon. Watch as Metcalf gets an outside release on CB Marlon Humphrey, having Rodgers drop in the bucket over the corner and safety to put Pittsburgh deep into Baltimore territory.

Rodgers goes right back to Metcalf the very next play on a speed out, picking up a couple of extra yards on first down. Metcalf is targeted four times on Pittsburgh’s first drive of the game. He had two end-zone targets, but was unable to capitalize on either, as one was outside of his reach and the other was a difficult, contested catch in tight coverage that Humphrey tips away at the last second.

Pittsburgh had lacked a downfield passing game the entire month of November (and for much of the season). They matched the number of 20+ yard passes downfield in a single contest on Sunday as Metcalf was on the receiving end of several of them. He had this great catch along the sideline on another dime of a pass from Rodgers, catching the ball in the breadbasket with CB Nate Wiggins attempting to knock the ball away, getting both feet down before falling out of bounds.

Pittsburgh also ran a couple of short screen passes to Metcalf in the flat, which were mildly successful. Given that Metcalf stands 6-4, 229 pounds, he can be a load to bring down in the open field for most defensive backs.

Check out the first clip where Metcalf catches the screen, facing off-coverage, and puts his shoulder down into Wiggins, picking up 7 yards. In the second clip, Metcalf catches the ball after going in motion, being in the backfield on the snap. He dives to pick up five yards before being taken out of bounds, being used much more creatively to put him in position to create after the catch.

Rodgers and Metcalf connected on another big play on more of a scramble drill in this clip, where Metcalf initially sits down on a curl route in the slot, but then adjusts as Rodgers buys himself time, cutting across the field toward the sideline, where Rodgers finds him and puts the ball on him with room to run. Metcalf fights for extra yardage along the sideline, being wrestled down after picking up over 40 yards on the play.

Alex Kozora highlighted Metcalf’s rep at gunner on the punt team in a recent piece on the site, but his play on special teams cannot go unrecognized in this piece, along with his contributions in the passing game. Metcalf, who has not been a special teamer during his career, played his role beautifully. He fought off the jam of two Ravens to get downfield and occupy a double team while still fighting to get to the ball on a crucial play to pin Baltimore deep. Truly reminiscent of his chase-down tackle against the Arizona Cardinals several years ago in terms of effort.

Metcalf literally left it all out on the field against the Ravens on Sunday, getting transported to the hospital prior to leaving town due to stomach pains, but was expected to fly home Monday after staying in Baltimore overnight.

That’s the story that Steelers legends embrace, and Metcalf cemented his legacy in this rivalry with how hard he played, being the explosive playmaker Pittsburgh has needed to get this stagnant offense going. Metcalf now sits with 52 receptions for 753 yards and five touchdowns on the season, on his way to a 1,000-yard season in his first year as a member of the Steelers.

It has been bittersweet to see George Pickens blossom in Dallas after being shipped out of Pittsburgh, but the Steelers’ acquisition and extension of Metcalf was a bet on his talent and character for the long haul. Early signs suggest that the bet has paid off. A class act on and off the field, Metcalf displays the selfishness, work ethic, and leadership needed to be the man Pittsburgh needs to help lead this offense out of obscurity back into prominence once again.