Steelers' Mike McCarthy delivers brutal message after Will Howard's nightmare half

The Pittsburgh Steelers gave Will Howard the entire first half of Friday night's preseason game against the New York Jets, creating his biggest opportunity yet to prove that he belongs in the team's immediate quarterback plans. Unfortunately, two costly mistakes overwhelmed nearly everything encouraging he produced.

Howard completed 10 of his 15 passes for 74 yards, but he also threw two interceptions as Pittsburgh entered halftime trailing New York 7-0. Both turnovers arrived after Howard had shown signs of settling into the offense and moving the football effectively.

That made the performance especially frustrating. Howard did not look completely overwhelmed or incapable of operating Mike McCarthy's system. Instead, he repeatedly allowed one terrible decision to erase the progress of a promising drive, which became the coach's primary concern entering halftime.

McCarthy spoke with Missi Matthews before leaving the field and made it clear that Pittsburgh could not tolerate the way Howard handled his opportunities.

"Well, I thought the biggest thing was the two long drives," McCarthy said. "That's what you're looking for. You can't turn the ball over. It's really a case of one mistake turning into two. We really have to be cleaner there. We can't turn the ball over."

That assessment captured Howard's nightmare half perfectly. The young quarterback flashed enough arm talent and command to create optimism, only to destroy his momentum with throws that never should have been attempted. Howard's first interception came shortly after he delivered one of his better passes of the night. The sequence showed how quickly an NFL quarterback must move beyond a positive play and make another disciplined decision. One encouraging throw means very little when the next possession ends with the defense holding the football.

The second interception was even more damaging because Howard had again helped Pittsburgh build a productive drive. Instead of finishing the possession with points or protecting field position, he gave the Jets another takeaway and ensured the Steelers entered halftime scoreless.

McCarthy has repeatedly emphasized situational football, decision-making and avoiding the kind of mistakes that beat a team from within. Howard violated all three principles during the most important audition he has received this summer. The difficult part for Howard is that Pittsburgh already knows Mason Rudolph can manage an NFL game. Rudolph may not possess the same developmental intrigue, but he has proven that he can enter the lineup, protect the offense and keep the Steelers competitive. Howard must demonstrate that same reliability before McCarthy can seriously consider changing the QB2 order.

Friday represented an enormous chance to do exactly that. Rodgers and Rudolph were inactive, leaving Howard and Drew Allar as Pittsburgh's only available quarterbacks. Howard received the first half, while Allar was positioned to take control after halftime with an opportunity to respond.

That naturally places more pressure on Allar, but it also gives the rookie a massive opening. Howard's two interceptions lowered the standard Allar must clear to leave the game with the stronger impression. 

Steelers need Will Howard to respond

This half should not erase everything Howard has accomplished throughout the offseason. He remains a talented quarterback with physical tools, confidence and enough mobility to create when plays break down. His first preseason appearance also showed that he is capable of producing efficient football.

However, McCarthy did not give Howard this start merely to see occasional highlights. He needed to evaluate whether Howard could command the offense for an extended period and consistently make NFL-level decisions. Two interceptions across 15 attempts delivered the opposite answer.

Howard must now prove that the nightmare was one bad half rather than evidence that he is not ready. His path toward challenging Rudolph already required near-clean football, and Friday's turnovers made that climb considerably steeper with the regular season approaching. McCarthy's halftime message was blunt because the standard at quarterback has to be unforgiving.