The Pittsburgh Steelers are a different team when star receiver DK Metcalf gets to take the field for them. Legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers has his top target. The opposing defense has to game-plan its strategy around stopping the big, strong, and fast playmaker. Pittsburgh is just generally far more dangerous when it has the two-time Pro Bowler available in its lineup.
That’s what made Metcalf’s absence for a suspension in a fan-punching incident over the Steelers’ final two regular-season games so concerning. Yes, the Steelers wound up winning the AFC North anyway, and any perceived offensive struggles didn’t have all that much to do with it being a struggle, but they probably got a little lucky in that regard. But that’s also because they had some measure of a margin for error.
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I don’t think I need to tell anyone that there is no margin for error now. You either find a way to win single-elimination playoff games from here on out, or you go home.
That’s what makes Metcalf’s expected return on Monday night inherently so promising for the Steelers. They have their full stable of horses back for a home playoff game. They can go down swinging with their best possible punch. Anything feels possible this time of year when all your best players can actually practice and then play in front of your fans:
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Since his suspension effectively ended his regular season, Metcalf finished the year with 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns. That is pretty solid work for 15 starts, where you’re the only consistently dynamic receiving threat on your team (the next closest Steeler had nearly 400 fewer receiving yards). Metcalf is clearly irreplaceable to the black and gold’s operation.
He is exactly what the Steelers will need to overcome the Texans‘ stout, daunting defense.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: DK Metcalf: Why did Steelers WR serve 2-game suspension form NFL?