The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a crippling 35-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday getting gashed by AJ Brown. The Eagles prized off-season trade acquisition found the endzone three times in the first half and finished the day with six catches for 156 yards.
Ike Taylor and Mark Bergin break down the Steelers' big loss to the Eagles. Photo Credit: Facebook Live.
Ike Taylor and co-host Mark Bergin broke down what they saw in the game for Pittsburgh during their Monday episode of Bleav in Steelers on Facebook Live. The two-time Super Bowl-winning cornerback and now a scout with the team said he doesn't see the defensive backs, other than two-time All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, playing with enough snarl.
"You really have to be dialed in and it’s about attitude. For the Steelers at the cornerback position, you’ve got to be pissed off all the time. Other than Minkah, you’ve got to get everyone else on board playing mad. The good ones, that’s what they do. They want you to throw the ball their way. They’re always looking for an altercation. You really have to be dialed in and it’s about attitude. For the Steelers at the cornerback position, you’ve got to be pissed off all the time," Taylor said.
He rattled off Los Angeles Rams corner Jaylen Ramsey and Denver Broncos second-year man Patrick Surtain as top guys in the league who show off that quality.
The 2003 fourth-round pick pointed to the first half and what AJ Brown was able to do when co-host Mark Bergin noted the team didn’t have the skill in the lineup to match up with the Eagles. Taylor said it’s his job to help general manager Omar Khan and the rest of the scouting staff to fix the issues the team has with depth.
“Personnel-wise, honestly, that’s why I am in the building. I like my eyes. I hope the organization trusts them too. I think I’m coming in at the right time from a front office standpoint,” Taylor said.
Steelers Secondary Against Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown catches a 29-yard pass Hurts to score a touchdown in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022.
Ahkello Witherspoon has been dealing with a hamstring injury that's kept him out of the lineup since Week 3 and was tasked with guarding the Eagles' fourth-year star pass catcher. He was haunted on the day before Halloween by the connection between Jalen Hurts and the former Ole Miss standout receiver. In the second half, Pittsburgh's Head Coach Mike Tomlin replaced the Colorado product with third-year James Pierre.
Taylor took some time to break down what he saw on the 39-yard score by the Eagles on their first drive of the game that sail over the head of Fitzpatrick into the hands of Brown.
“Minkah didn’t misjudge playing the ball. Brown was just more aggressive at playing the ball. He played taller than his height. That’s what I tell receivers all the time. If you’re 5'10'' you have to play at 6'2''. Minkah was in position he just didn’t play like he’s 7' tall," Taylor said.
Photo Credit: George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Pittsburgh managed to keep the Eagles' dynamic duo in check to start the second half, by forcing a couple of incompletions in the way of Brown and a single catch for no gain. Then on their first drive of the fourth quarter, Hurts found Brown for 43 yards to set up an 11-yard score by Miles Saunders one play later.
Going into a bye coming at the right time for the team according to Taylor, something needs to change and he sees it coming.
The team started making changes to the secondary by adding William Jackson in a trade with the Washington Commanders.
The #Steelers have been chasing William Jackson III ever since the Bengals stole him in front of them in the 2016 NFL Draft.
— Mike Nicastro (@MikedUpSports1) November 1, 2022
They finally got him.Adding one player won't completely shore up a unit that currently sits in 31st in pass yards but it's a start. The team realized a sore spot on the roster and added a player they think can help.
So, Steeler Nation, do you agree with what Taylor is saying about the defense? Do you like the addition of Jackson? What do you think the team needs to do to slow down the opposing QBs?
As always let us know in the comment section below or on our social media feeds.
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