Pittsburgh has been gutted on the ground, giving up 299 yards in the first two weeks. That’s a stunning figure for a defense that traditionally ranks as one of the league’s best against the run. And it helps explain why Austin has turned to the blitz more frequently. Per TruMedia, Pittsburgh has blitzed on 43.3 percent of snaps, the fourth-highest rate in the league through two weeks. By bringing back the traditional pressures from the “Blitzburgh” era, Austin is attempting to cancel out running lanes with defensive linemen, linebackers and the occasional defensive back crisscrossing at the point of attack.
Now, injuries have played a factor in the Steelers’ defensive downturn. After suffering a knee sprain in the preseason, first-round pick Derrick Harmon has yet to take a snap. Although the defensive tackle is likely to go through some rookie growing pains upon return, his absence has still weakened the middle of Pittsburgh’s D. The Steelers’ defensive backfield has also been bitten by the injury bug, with CB Joey Porter Jr. and S DeShon Elliott missing time. Despite the veteran status of the remaining starters in the secondary — Ramsey, Slay and Juan Thornhill — the revamped group’s lack of reps together has resulted in some communication errors and blown assignments.
Throw in a subtle schematic shift to feature more man-to-man coverage this season, and you get a better sense as to why the Steelers have given up more explosive plays than we are accustomed to seeing in Pittsburgh’s back end. Austin aspires to field a lockdown unit that takes away easy throws with sticky coverage, but miscommunication on potential switches has resulted in more big plays down the field. Additionally, the Steelers are playing with their backs to the ball when locked in man coverage, leading to bigger plays on the perimeter due to the lack of vision on the quarterback and the ball. Until the defensive backfield gets accustomed to this new, blitz-heavier system, the big plays and eye-popping numbers will continue to dot the stat sheet.
That said, the Steelers’ collection of talented and experienced playmakers at multiple levels makes me think this is a temporary blip. I can’t imagine the defense will continue to play this poorly, especially once some of the injured players return to action. With more reps and in-game experience, the chemistry, communication and superior ability will eventually click and result in the kind of imposing defense we’ve long associated with the Steel City.
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