The Pittsburgh Steelers went into their second preseason game of 2023 with plenty of confidence. It stemmed from a solid showing from their starters during the first 2023 preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The offense started off the 2023 preseason with an excellent touchdown drive against the Buccaneers, and in their second game against the Buffalo Bills, they didn't miss a beat. With all the hype surrounding Pittsburgh thanks to a productive offseason that brought in plenty of talent, where does the confidence within the 2023 Steelers locker room come from?
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (#30) after scoring a touchdown in Pittsburgh's victory over the Buffalo Bills during the 2023 preseason
Steelers' Mason Cole Credits Defense With Offensive Showing
They say that iron sharpens iron, a saying that Head Coach Mike Tomlin is in complete agreement with. When the Steelers set out to make the 2023 offseason one that truly upgraded the entire team, that meant more than just adding talent. The competition that was bred through the challenge of a Tomlin training camp has translated into one side of the ball pushing the other to grow and vice versa.
The Steelers have one of the most talented defenses in the NFL, and one would think that Pittsburgh's offense would dread going up against that kind of talent on a consistent basis. The truth of the matter is that both sides of the football love what they get out of the other. This is not the norm in the NFL, or every team would be perfectly cohesive when the season began. Not all offenses can take the challenge of going toe to toe with elite defenders during practice, but that is not the case in Pittsburgh.
Steelers center Mason Cole spoke on that subject following Pittsburgh's 27-15 victory over the Bills. The second victory in their second 2023 preseason game happened because of the way the offense and defense got the best out of each other. Cole spoke to Dejan Kovacevic of DK Pittsburgh Sports following the win over the Bills, and Cole gave credit to Pittsburgh's defense for pushing the offense every day in practice.
"I'll be honest, the three-plus weeks we're in Latrobe, we're facing the stiffest competition. By comparison, the games almost feel like they slow down."
For the record, Cole is saying that against the starters for a very good Buffalo team, the game was actually slowed down. If that is the kind of upgrade that Pittsburgh can expect thanks to their iron sharpening their other iron, then 2023 is going to be even more improved than we thought.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has high expectations for both his 2023 offense and defense as they get closer to the regular season
Steelers Defense Enjoying The Bond Formed During Training Camp
When you invest money in defense, you expect a certain amount of returns. For Pittsburgh, though, those returns weren't up to par in 2022. The injury to TJ Watt derailed the defensive campaign for sure, but when the Steelers paid their 2022 defense the most in the league ($109.9 million), there aren't any excuses. In 2023, the Steelers have $121.3 million invested in their defense, so the expectations haven't exactly been lowered.
Training camp can be a brutal struggle for the best teams in the league, but there is something different going on in Pittsburgh. While it is true that there is no such thing as a comfortable Tomlin training camp, this is a camp where the players can already see the benefits. Watt saw those kinds of improvements during the Steelers 2023 preseason win over the Bills, and he knows where it's coming from.
The starters on offense and defense were slated to play around a quarter and a half of preseason football in their second exhibition game of 2023, but things went in a different direction. The offense only needed two drives (one lasting a single play) to score two touchdowns and look as ready for the 2023 season as you can be, so their night ended much earlier than expected. Pittsburgh's defense enjoyed much of the same success, shutting down the famed high-powered offense of the Bills.
When Watt spoke to Joe Rutter from TribLive, the generational defender credited the kind of camp that is run in Pittsburgh for the success on the field. The defensive cohesion wasn't luck and isn't something that just happens over time, it requires work and a willingness to buy into the team.
“We were playing fast, playing confident. We looked like we were locked away for 28 days together, just how we were jelling defensively. We were flying around, having fun, playing with a swag.”
The Steelers couldn't ask for much more than the incredibly talented, highly-paid defense having fun while dominating games. Watt is looking for their success to continue well into 2023, thanks to the foundation they are starting out with. Seeing what the Steelers have shown the league in two brief showings during the 2023 preseason, it's safe to say that the 2023 Steelers are a team to watch for sure. Every single player is out to show that 2022 was an aberration, not the new normal. With this kind of start, it's looking good so far!
Are you impressed by what you are seeing from the 2023 Steelers already? #SteelerNation
