This Defense Embarrasses Steelers

[Shoes]

Very good read by Dejan…sad but true.


This defense lacks talent, and that’s entirely on Tomlin and Kevin Colbert.
This defense lacks accountability, and it will lack even more without Keisel.
This defense is suffocating the Steelers’ present and future.
And anyone not embarrassed by that … wow, that’s most embarrassing of all.




Brett Keisel looked the other way.

http://dkonpittsburghsports.com/2014/11/30/column-defense-embarrasses-steelers/

[Drazo85]

Great read. Mike Mitchel is waste of money. They could pay me to do what he does. Nothing!!! This guy looks like one and done.

[Dwinsgames]

only issue I take with this is the def handed the offense the ball time and time again in the first half only for them to piss away chances ... so when the defense then falters they shoulder the blame because the offense got some points at garbage time ?

Bleh I am not buying that one bit

[st33lersguy]

Defense needs to be addressed in the 1st round and most of the picks

[Shoes]

only issue I take with this is the def handed the offense the ball time and time again in the first half only for them to piss away chances ... so when the defense then falters they shoulder the blame because the offense got some points at garbage time ?

Bleh I am not buying that one bit

I don't think he was giving the offense a pass, only pointing out the larger issues with the team.

[st33lersguy]

This defense is wasting away Ben's prime

[Dwinsgames]

This defense is wasting away Ben's prime

Today Ben wasted away Bens prime

[GBMelBlount]

Today Ben wasted away Bens prime

Beat me to it.

It was said that a few weeks ago when Ben had his record setting game he came into the game differently.

No small talk. No patting on the back. No joking. Fired up and focused.

Unfortunately Ben just does not get fired up for a game unless we are an underdog, he is under duress or the season is on the line.

In fact Ben's passer rating and completion rate after being hit is double the rest of the league.

There is an obvious pattern here.

[Shoes]

Beat me to it.

It was said that a few weeks ago when Ben had his record setting game he came into the game differently.

No small talk. No patting on the back. No joking. Fired up and focused.

Unfortunately Ben just does not get fired up for a game unless we are an underdog, he is under duress or the season is on the line.

In fact Ben's passer rating and completion rate after being hit is double the rest of the league.

There is an obvious pattern here.


This seems to be a team of *patterns* and most of them aren't good.

[86WARD]

only issue I take with this is the def handed the offense the ball time and time again in the first half only for them to piss away chances ... so when the defense then falters they shoulder the blame because the offense got some points at garbage time ?

Bleh I am not buying that one bit

This. The offense squandered away several opportunities in the first quarter alone yesterday.

[Moose]

The plain truth is this is just a terrible Steeler's team. The 'old' Steeler's are gone. Just memories we all have ( at least us older fan's). The style of play ( tackling, sticking etc) is soft and weak. The player's can't tackle or know how to. The RB's don't know how to carry the ball and hold on to it. The coaches are mindless. There is just no enthusiasm on this team. No will to hit and win. They think damn FG will be sufficient to win games when in the red zone. It's really getting tough and agonizing to watch this team play week after week. I just keep sitting there waiting week after week for the 'old' Steeler form and desire to soon arise and start kicking ass and putting the hurt on someone, but to no avail. The same pathetic team and player's show up. Then after the game you have to listen to the same 'blah blah blah' from a head coach that looks as though he's reading the same shit every week....." if we would have scored more points we would have won ". Dumb ass.

[zulater]

I still say Haley deserves a great deal of blame yesterday. 26 has 12 carries for 71 yards in the first quarter, two scoring drives which led to 6 points but easily could have been 10 if Bryant catches a ball that he should have. We could all see that Ben was struggling with his accuracy, so why couldn't Haley? Stay committed to the ground game. Let the ground game set up play action as the game wears on. Even if they stop us a series here or there, you wear a defense out this way. Plus Bell doesn't put the ball on the ground. Eliminate the 14 points off turnovers and it's a different game. Be patient. Commit to what gives you the best chance to win on that given day. And it sure wasn't Ben yesterday.

[Mojouw]

The defense is missing starters at NT, ROLB, ILB, CB, and is struggling through a failed experiment at safety.

I don't really care what Haley did or did not do, you turn the ball over twice (once inside your own 20) and then fail to get a pass rush on Drew Brees -- its over.

Until this team re-starts its pass rush -- nothing else will matter.

[zulater]

The defense is missing starters at NT, ROLB, ILB, CB, and is struggling through a failed experiment at safety.

I don't really care what Haley did or did not do, you turn the ball over twice (once inside your own 20) and then fail to get a pass rush on Drew Brees -- its over.

Until this team re-starts its pass rush -- nothing else will matter.

You run the ball well enough you keep Brees on the sideline.

And you play to your strengths and try to steer clear of your weaknesses. Our offense should be our better unit. It has to aid the defense by making the other team play from behind and keeping it off the field. That game spun away from us with Ben's 2nd interception. The defense is weak. We know that.

[SteelerFanInStl]

As with many of the old time Steeler fans here (70's era), I was first drawn to the Steelers because of their defense. That's what I've always loved about the Steelers. The current defense, outside of a very few players, just doesn't seem to have that fire. These are not my Steelers. No pass rush, no coverage, too many missed tackles, too many penalties, etc.

This team needs a complete makeover on defense.

The team that's showing me that fire and intensity right now is the Rams. Their defense is playing the way I'm used to the Steelers playing. Yes, they're better than their record shows. They just destroyed the Raiders yesterday, as any good team should. I'm lucky that at least I've got my local team to cheer for while watching the Steelers continue to mire in mediocrity.

[Steeldude]

But the lack of talent has nothing to do with Cowher's defensive players retiring or getting too old...lol. Tomlin has replaced all of Cowher's defensive players with equal or greater talent, right? Right?

[NCSteeler]

The defense is missing starters at NT, ROLB, ILB, CB, and is struggling through a failed experiment at safety.

I don't really care what Haley did or did not do, you turn the ball over twice (once inside your own 20) and then fail to get a pass rush on Drew Brees -- its over.

Until this team re-starts its pass rush -- nothing else will matter.

Oh Yay, we can draft another LBer with our 1st and or 2nd pick. How about some improved coverage.

[stillers4me]

Oh Yay, we can draft another LBer with our 1st and or 2nd pick. How about some improved coverage.

It's not like we won't need one.

[plenewken]

Our 3-4 D doesn't cut it anymore and I don't believe we have the personnel to play it effectively either.

[Dwinsgames]

It's not like we won't need one.

exactly ... we either draft one , pay one via free agency or bitch that we don't have 1

[NCSteeler]

our 3-4 needs one good NT one good safety and one good Corner, other than that it's all perfect

[Dwinsgames]

our 3-4 needs one good NT one good safety and one good Corner, other than that it's all perfect


really ?

so who is going to play OLB ?

we need somebody ....

Moats on a one year deal .... Worilds on a 1 year deal ... Harrison on a 1 year deal ...

[SteelerFanInStl]

our 3-4 needs one good NT one good safety and one good Corner, other than that it's all perfect

Shamarko can't stay healthy. We don't have a single OLB who can consistently bring pressure. We don't have a single CB on the roster who's even decent, outside of Gay, who should be playing nickel.

We're far away from being a good defense.

[Mojouw]

Arguably this defense is 3 CB's, 2 safeties, 2 LB'ers, and 2 DL away from being competent, much less any damn good.

Build around McCUllers, Heyward, Tuit, and Shazier. Anyone else should not be counted on. Timmons is closer to the end than the beginning. Jones, Shamarko, Allen have flashed and then fizzled. I wouldn't count on any of them.

[MrPgh]

Mike Mitchell:

Zero passes defended

Zero interceptions


And this guy acts like he's the shit.

[Count Steeler]

Mike Mitchell:

Zero passes defended

Zero interceptions


And this guy acts like he's the shit.

Well, he is shit.

[GBMelBlount]

Well, he is shit.

Laugh. Out. Loud!

[MrPgh]

As far as drafting goes, the Steelers are too enamored with the guys in the trenches. It's a passing league. You need cover corners.