Across all three levels, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been disappointing defensively. They aren’t stopping the run or getting pressure consistently enough, and there’s virtually no help from the secondary behind that.
With those struggles, there’s been a lot of talk regarding the Steelers’ defense. Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin were asked about play-calling duties earlier this week, which Austin had to explain. Any time the defensive coordinator is asked about that, it’s usually not a good sign. However, in the locker room it doesn’t seem like much is changing either, with T.J. Watt saying he doesn’t foresee any player-led meetings in the future.
“There’s no excuse, there’s nothing to discuss,” Watt said Friday via Steelers.com “It’s very obvious we’re not playing the football we want to be playing. Very obvious that we want to be playing better football. So having these player-led meetings and things of that nature aren’t really beneficial.”
Player-led meetings can mean a few different things. A lot of the time we hear about them, it’s usually not good, and they often come during a losing streak. For example, Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins have had some drama regarding player-led meetings this season amid their poor start.
However, it can also mean something much less intense. For example, DK Metcalf explained this week that Aaron Rodgers holds weekly player-led meetings for the Steelers. It’s typical for position groups to break apart and do this, but Rodgers’ efforts seem to be much more expansive.
Either way, it doesn’t sound like they’re coming to the defensive side of the ball anytime soon. But there certainly are several things that need cleaning up. From the coaching to the on-field execution, no position group on that side of the ball can really be confident in their performances this year. Watt is right that everyone on defense is well aware of the issues at hand. Maybe player-led meetings could help bring different voices to the equation, but it doesn’t sound like too popular of a topic.
Despite its struggles, the defense might have its toughest test yet on Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts come to town, boasting a 7-1 record and the hottest offense in the league. They can both run and throw the ball with MVP-candidate players, so the Steelers are going to need a massive bounce-back game defensively to have a chance.
Recommended for you