PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It is a refrain we heard so often last year and it has continued this year for the Steelers defense, cohesion and communication leading to issues as the Steelers have given up 31.5 points per game, 29th in the NFL through two weeks.
That lack of communication really showing up on third downs Sunday against the Seahawks. Seattle converted 6-14 on third down, but it’s the yardage, even when they got a stop, often they gave up enough yards to set up fourth and manageable. Here are the Seattle third downs from Sunday and the results:
· 3rd & 6—15-yard pass
· 3rd & 10—12-yard pass
· 3rd & 12—11-yard pass
· 3rd & 8—incomplete pass
· 3rd & 14—13-yard pass
· 3rd & 7—6-yard run
· 3rd & 6—incomplete pass
· 3rd & 4—17-yard pass
· 3rd & 10—incomplete pass
· 3rd & 1—13-yard pass
· 3rd & 7—incomplete pass
· 3rd & 9—19-yard pass
· 3rd & goal from the 19—19-yard TD run
· 3rd & 16—5-yard run
“Could have been tighter in coverage and more solid in terms of some of our communication and often times the tightness of coverage is often times a reflection of understanding and fluid communication, and so we got to get better on some of those areas,” Tomlin said.
Even though a number of the starters are veterans, Tomlin said a bunch are new to them. For instance, Sunday, the four starting defensive backs-Jalen Ramsey, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark and Darius Slay have 39 combined years of experience, but it’s their first time working together in a game in that formation.
Tomlin also said he felt like the defense wore down as the game progressed. That along with the injury to defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk hurt their ability to stop the run. That would play out in the stats, giving up 39 yards rushing in the first half and 78 yards in the second.
Those injuries, Tomlin said, also restricted their ability to adjust. He said they were ‘limited in schematics’ not only because of it being new players on defense, but that it’s early in the season. He said injuries are more challenging early in the year and they are feeling the effects.
“I certainly feel confident that we're going to experience the benefit of that we got some young people gaining some real in-game experiences,” Tomlin said. “And we're being challenged as strategists to adapt and bring the game to them. And I think on the big scheme of things, all of those things are positive.”
But right now, it’s about improvement, as Tomlin said two weeks is a trend and you could look back to the end of the 2024 season as to that trend expanding. He said it has their attention.
“We've got to be better,” Tomlin said. “We got to strategize better. We got a play better. We got divide the labor up a little better. Some of that's been challenging with some of the attrition, but that's what we're paid to do and I'm excited about addressing it this week.”
Tomlin felt defensively they were better Sunday than against the Jets, but those reasons mentioned led to a disappointing end. We’ll hear more talk this week about improvement, we’ll see if it manifests itself consistently Sunday at New England.