Fridays with Matt: Steelers must prioritize defensive playmakers

[hawaiiansteeler]

Fridays with Matt: Steelers must prioritize defensive playmakers

By MATT WILLIAMSON Feb 1

Unlike the needs on offense, which are very acute, the Steelers' needs on the defensive side of the ball are much broader. Before we start, though, it's important to note that, contrary to popular belief, Pittsburgh didn’t field a terrible defense in 2018. In fact, it's really middle of the pack, or even slightly above average when compared to the other 31 franchises.

Folks, it isn’t the '70s or even the '90s anymore. Defenses are at a massive disadvantage and if you can have just one thing on this side of the ball, what every NFL coach would pick is a pass-rush. This is an area in which the Steelers have excelled for multiple seasons in a row now.

That pass-rush is a very good start and clearly the Steelers have used quite a bit of draft equity on this side of the ball of late, and that should continue to yield more fruit as these early draft picks improve. But, without question, the biggest thing Pittsburgh needs on this side of the ball are "playmakers."

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https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/Fridays-with-Matt-Steelers-must-prioritize-defensive-playmakers-128556172/

[Fire Goodell]

I was thinking the same thing at the start of this season, defenses are at such a disadvantage that it's unrealistic to have a defense like the past Steel Curtain or Blitzburgh defenses. The days of holding teams to 3-10 points is not going to happen very often, if at all. The most effective way to play defense in the current day imo, is having one that's opportunistic and can get your offense extra possessions. Pass rush and ballhawks in the secondary.

I do think this defense is just 1 player in the secondary away from being really good. Heyward and Watt are ballers, we've led the league in sacks for 2 years in a row. We just need secondary players other than Haden who can make QB's pay for bad decisions.

[pepsyman1]

We gave up 52 more points this season than last season. We are are definitely more than a player away. And although its rare, Defense can still be pretty dominant. The Ravens have averaged giving up under 19 points a game over their last 48 regular season games. Less than 18 this past season. How are they doing it? I assume by studying OUR defensive game plans and doing the opposite...lol

[teegre]

The starting position for our offense was last in the league (18 yard line).

That comes from poor special teams play. If we had merely fair caught punts and NOT returned kickoffs, we wouldn’t have suffered all of those 10-yard holding penalties.

This is huge, because even if the offense gets three first downs, we are STILL punting.

Not scoring leads to not playing with the lead. Not playing with the lead does not allow your defense to “pin their ears back” and/or gamble for turnovers.

And... a lack of turnovers means that the offense rarely gets a short field.

SUMMATION:
There are lots of contributing factors to the struggles of the defense.

[vasteeler]

"Steelers must prioritize defensive playmakers"...No Shit!

[steelreserve]

I think the last several Super Bowls have shown us that it does not necessarily take "playmakers" on defense as much as having no obvious weak links. If you can do that and your offense is good, you are in the mix. If you have some big-time playmakers on defense, that's the icing on the cake.

Right now we are deficient at a couple of positions and we need to fix that to at least NFL average first. Then we can talk about playmakers. We are like the Dave Kingman or Rob Deer of drafting when we go for playmakers - hope that your 28 home runs a year are going to make up for the fact that you hit .200 and struck out 180 times by closing your eyes and swinging for the fences on every pitch.