This season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has given far more tricks than treats this season. It’s gotten gashed for the last two weeks, almost being the lowest-ranked defenses in the league. It remains to be seen if the Steelers can turn that unit around. Things look bad right now, and they’re set to play the NFL’s No. 1 offense this week. The Steelers’ offense has also struggled at times, especially after halftime. Chris Simms doesn’t have hope that Pittsburgh will turn things around.
“There’s some teams out there where I’d go, I don’t see it,” Simms said recently on The Dan Patrick Show. “The Pittsburgh Steelers, I don’t see it. It ain’t gonna get much better. This is what they are. Don’t hope for anything more that way.”
That’s a bleak outlook considering half the season is still remaining. There are points that back up what Simms is saying, though. The Steelers are dealing with many of the same issues that plagued them last year, especially on defense.
That unit is being dragged down by miscommunication and missed tackles. Those were two of the main reasons why the Steelers went on a five-game losing streak to end the 2024 season. While they worked to fix those problems this offseason, it hasn’t been enough.
The Steelers’ defense has been disappointing, but their offense has actually been better than expected. Aaron Rodgers is giving Pittsburgh its best play under center since Ben Roethlisberger. Also, the Steelers’ run game has started to heat up, and Jaylen Warren has settled into the lead-back role.
However, the Steelers’ offense hasn’t been perfect. It’s been difficult for that group to put together a complete performance. It started off well against the Green Bay Packers, but it couldn’t finish. Then, in the second half, that unit totally stalled out.
Could the Steelers fix these issues? It’s possible. Their offense just needs to smooth out a few wrinkles, and it should be fine. It’s their defense that’s more concerning. After the Steelers’ loss to the Packers last Sunday, multiple defenders talked about how they felt like they lacked fight. That’s not a good sign.
The Steelers’ defense has the talent to succeed. However, it’s running out of time. Their schedule isn’t getting any easier, and the Steelers are set to face several of the league’s top offenses. If they aren’t careful, then they could be in for a long second half of the year.
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