The Pittsburgh Steelers are a franchise full of pride and tradition. The city of Pittsburgh this team and it's fans takes pride in the defensive side of the ball. Hitting quarterbacks, and pounding ball carriers. But something happened last year that we hadn't seen in this town in a long time.
Throughout the history of the Steelers, there have been many Hall of Famers on the defensive side of the ball and the Steelers have always been known for their defensive play. In recent years, the Steelers have seen that fade and they have struggled keeping their opponents out of the end zone. In 2021, the Steelers gave up an average 23.4 points per game which was 20th overall in the NFL. This was a drastic falloff since 2019, where the Steelers were 5th in overall defense and only gave up an average 18.9 points per game.
After such a turn of events over the past few seasons, it was no surprise that Pittsburgh made some changes this off-season and filled some much needed holes in the defense during free agency, and I expect the Pittsburgh defense to return to its dominant form this season.
The new-look Steelers defense
One of the biggest moves Pittsburgh made this off-season was acquiring linebacker Myles Jack after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jack, who appeared in 15 games last season recorded 108 combined tackles and 3 tackles for loss. There was a decline in numbers last season, but he will play a big role for the Steelers in 2022 and is a significant upgrade compared from Joe Schobert.
Myles Jack is a key acquisition by the Steelers and could end up being the best move of the off-season. | Getty Images
Pittsburgh also signed Levi Wallace, a cornerback, who was formerly with the Buffalo Bills in 2021. Wallace last season, recorded 58 combined tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery. He will be a solid starting corner for the Steelers and will fit perfectly into this secondary.
Pittsburgh struggled on the defensive line in 2021. Stephon Tuitt was out the whole season due to an knee injury and also personal reasons. This made it extremely tough for the Steelers when Tyson Alualu suffered a season ending injury in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Steelers are hoping for a completely different story when it comes to the defensive line in 2022 and are hoping Tuitt makes his return to the team, although he has yet to show up for off-season OTA's.
The Steelers selected Devin Bush in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he made an impact right away. He started 15 games and recorded 2 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries, and finished 3rd in Defensive Rookie Of The Year Voting. 2020 unfortunately ended early for Bush when he tore is ACL during the Steelers Week 4 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Since the injury, Bush has not been the same player and struggled mightily last season at both run stopping and pass defense. Bringing in Jack to play next to Bush and also hiring former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores to be the Senior Defensive Assistant and Linebackers Coach, could both be steps to help get Bush back to his rookie season ways. Also, having a healthy defensive line will help take some of the pressure off of the linebackers as well.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
So all in all, it appears as if the holes that Pittsburgh had last season have been filled or at least given a "band-aid" fix for 2022. The added depth along with the consistent Pro Bowl caliber play from T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Cam Heyward should get Steelers fans excited for the season ahead. This Pittsburgh defense has the perfect mix of youth and speed, as well as veteran leadership. The key is for this defense to stay healthy and if they can do that, I expect Pittsburgh to be back to their old ways on the defensive side of the football and be yet again, one of the best in the NFL.
What do you think about the Steelers defense, Steeler Nation? Do you think they can get back to their elite ways? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
