Steelers Fans Get Some Clarity On Who The Problem Could Be On The Defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have some turmoil in the locker room, which can be a killer for teams at this time of the year. Pittsburgh already has a playoff spot locked up, but the group lost control of the AFC North on Christmas Day after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs and watching the Baltimore Ravens win their game. The defense has looked like one of the worst in the league over the last three weeks, and it is looking like the Steelers have no chance to make any noise in the postseason with the way the team is currently playing.

Although the offense has also looked atrocious, the defense is the largest concern for the Steelers. They have the highest paid defensive unit in the league, yet the group cannot hang with some of the high-powered offenses in the NFL. Injuries have certainly played a factor, and it just looks like there is one or two players that are lost on every play that are causing issues. The defensive players have been very frustrated while speaking with the media, and it seems like there is one or two players that could be holding the team back against the pass.

Pittsburgh's defense has been picked apart by the passing game over the last three weeks. Granted they have played high-level competition while going against some of the best quarterbacks in the league, but the group is expected to be able to compete against the offenses of this caliber. 

Former NFL linebacker Will Compton was able to watch the film from the loss to the Chiefs, and he is able to identify that the issue is certainly at linebacker.

Pittsburgh typically uses a rotation of three guys at inside linebacker. Patrick Queen is the green dot and is on the field every play at inside linebacker, Elandon Roberts is on the field with him in obvious running situations, and Payton Wilson is on the field on passing downs. DeShon Elliott is a safety, but often plays up in the box as well. It is impossible to know what every player's responsibility is on each down just from watching film, but the player at fault on some of these blown coverages likely comes from this group.

Another fact that supports this theory is that it is primarily linebackers and safeties who are tasked with covering an opposing team's tight end, and this is a spot Pittsburgh has struggled. The group allowed Kelce to catch eight passes on Wednesday for over 80 yards and a touchdown. This is an area that the Steelers need to clean up, especially if they plan to have any chance of being competitive in the postseason.

Steelers Need To Take Steps To Fix Defensive Issues

Thankfully for the Steelers, they have over a week to prepare for their regular season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. In order to win the AFC North, Pittsburgh would need to win and Baltimore would need to lose to the Cleveland Browns, which is unlikely to happen. Pittsburgh is likely to be a Wild Card team, but it is important the Steelers beat the Bengals in order to get some confidence going into the postseason. 

Over this next week and a half of preparation, the Steelers need to find a way to fix the defense. A player-only meeting may be necessary, that way everyone on the roster can talk about their issues in an open forum while encouraging communication throughout the team. There is no guarantee that it would work, but it seems like it could be a step in the right direction. As of now, Pittsburgh has no chance of competing in the postseason with the defense's current level of play.

What do you think about Compton assuming the issue is at the linebacker spot? Let us know in the comments below!

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