At this point in the season, it’s entirely unclear what version of the Pittsburgh Steelers we’re going to see from week to week, especially on defense. One week, they look like world beaters against the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals. The next week, they can’t stop anybody and look entirely overmatched.
That was the case on Sunday at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears. The Steelers had no real answers for Chicago’s passing attack, and after the 31-28 loss to the Bears to fall to 6-5 on the season, linebacker Patrick Queen raised some questions about the defensive scheme.
Those questions continued into Monday when cornerback Brandin Echols stated that the coaching staff — along with the players — just has to be better.
For former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex, who appeared on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday morning, the issues defensively with the Steelers has nothing to do with the talent on the roster. It’s all about the scheme.
“It’s a scheme thing, dude. It’s all scheme. The talent is there and for us to have, and I used this analogy I guess last week, but it applies every week, Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde,” Essex said of the Steelers’ defensive issues, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “For us to go out there and play the way we played against a Colts team, for us to play the way we played last week versus one of the hottest offensive teams in the league, in the Bengals last week. And then to come out and just do that, I don’t understand. I do understand it is definitely scheme because the talent is there, and when you have the players come after the game and just say they don’t know. When [Payton] Wilson comes out and says it’s like we’re the best defense on one play and then we’re not on other plays?
“It points strictly to the coaching and the positions that they’re being put in on a play-to-play, game-to-game basis because it’s not consistent. And these guys seem to be confused.”
The wide-open touchdown to DJ Moore in the second half was a prime example of the scheme — and decisions from coaching — being a major issue for the Steelers defense.
The Bears ran a four verts concept offensive, meaning all four eligible receivers ran vertical routes. The Steelers were in a single-high look with Jalen Ramsey at safety. They ran a Cover 3 look. As Alex Kozora noted in his film room, three defenders can’t cover four receivers.
It allowed Moore to spin through the heart of the Steelers defense to be wide open for the strike from Caleb Williams.
You don’t get that wide open in today’s NFL, but Moore did against the Steelers. Scheme and play-calling, especially in situational football, are an issue for the Steelers.
Essex isn’t the only former player calling out the scheme and coaching. James Harrison was irate on Monday and shredded the Steelers. Things are a mess in Pittsburgh right now. Players are frustrated, former players are fed up with the product on the field, and fans are starting to turn.
Just in time for the gloomy weather around the holidays in Pittsburgh. It won’t get easier moving forward, either, with the Buffalo Bills coming to town Sunday led by star QB Josh Allen, the reigning NFL MVP.
The scheme better be on point, or Allen will carve the Steelers up, leading to even louder frustrations and maybe even a legitimate blowup, too. Maybe that’s what the Steelers need.
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