worried about our run defense

against the Cowboys and Giants, 2 unknown running backs had big games. Our run defense seems to be out of position on many of the big runs. Is the scheme the problem or our players are not disciplined to stay in the area they are responsible for? Don't get me wrong, they made many splash plays but too many big plays allowed.

 

But against top ten rushers Bijan Robinson and JK Dobbins they did pretty well. This along with holding Jonathan Taylor and Breece Hall in check.

 

Tonight it was happening when Steelers were in Nickel they were getting gashed, base was a bit better.

 

Robert's is the only one that wants to come up and lay the wood.

 

Anyone looking at this game last night the middle of the field open all night long.
We can't do that against Washington and their young QB,he will eat us up.

 

Breece Hall had a HUGE splash play for a long TD and a couple other nice ones.

 

Our inside linebackers always seem to be out of position or getting blocked in run defense. The 3 DL do not get any push and are frequently pushed back or completely blocked and taken out of the play. There is a OL on the linebackers almost immediately, or lb over pursue breaking containment. It starts upfront and the two young DL and Heyward not doing the job. The negative plays from our end more frequently resulted from run blitz and not from line play. We also have new LB in our system and perhaps they are not familiar with the system. #6 (McQueen) is out of position more frequently than not. 3rd and long has also been a problem with receivers finding wide open spots in the defense. If the pressure on QB from Watts and Highsmith is negated by any opponent, this defense would not be able to stop anyone.

 

Defense need to be better against the run.They are very good in some game,terrible in other.

Like in the second down and 10 situation,they need to have better focus to stop the run in this situation,it was the problem last night

 

Benton is absolute trash this year.

 

Yup. Taylor was running on the Steelers, too, before he was injured and left the game.

 

let's see how they do against Henry and the Ravens before we panic

 

I thought that was on a pass play.

 

It was...little dump off that he cut back.

 

Bento lost weight so he could be quicker and finish better I'm not seeing it, maybe on run downs play Roberts more instead of Wilson.

 

Yeah,it was on a checkdown by Rodgers

 

Roberts, Highsmith and Watt seem to be the only ones who are consistent in stopping the run. Rest of the D line, secondary and LBs are getting burned consistently. Not a good sign with Ekeler, Henry and Chubb on deck.

 

Granted tougher opponents are coming, but Steelers are 4th best against the run to date I believe. Maybe it was just a bad scheme? Tracy Jr ran a good game...credit to him too.

 

Those were on screens, I think he is talking specifically about rushing

 

These things happen depending on the matchup. I’m not overly concerned about any of it. Who in the NFL is that consistently dominant?
Expecting a defense to be lights out every week is unrealistic.

 

Those screens count. Sure, they did a decent job on Hall on running plays, but he still did some big-time damage against them. Tracy embarrassed them in the second half last night. The kid is really good. The Steelers aren't the first defense he has done that to this season, but it is still concerning.

 

The defense need to be better against the run(like 2 second and 10 and thing like that) and also against the screen.This is a concern

 

The D lives by turn overs. If they don’t get any, then they give up 9 minute drives like they did against Dallas.


I don’t think it’s more complicated than that: hopefully the turn overs continue and that luck doesn’t run out.

 

I don’t understand this defense. We are loaded with high pedigree players at every level. Here are my issues with it.

1. We have two of the fastest ILB’s in the NFL and yet we have them playing on their heels often totally negating their speed and athleticism. Why not run blitz and pass blitz these guys more? You can slide up Elliot to play the middle of the field.

2. Why are we playing soft shell two high safety so much? In some cases Minkah was lined up 20-25 yards deep totally taking him out of the play. I understand playing prevent but this is ridiculous.

3. Lack of push from our DT’s and maintaining multiple blockers. ILB’s getting blocked way too much.

4. Lack of pass rush blitz and disguising the blitz. Too many four man fronts and no stunts etc. Very vanilla.

5. Lack of blitz against immobile QB’s. No way Flacco should have been under a four man front rush. The four man rush with a soft shell zone is playing very conservative and playing in our fears of giving up the big play but we still end up giving up big chunk plays even with a conservative defense.

6. When we do blitz why are we not playing press man corner on the outside. We allow a free release on inside slant often giving up a first down anyway. KC Chiefs are 7-0 primarily because of their aggressive defense not because of Maholmes. They blitz on run and pass and they play press man when they blitz causing the QB to hold onto the ball.

7. I understand playing a soft shell zone against a running QB like Lamar Jackson because you don’t want to turn your back on him and not blitzing alot because of the fear of him running but the rest of these QB’s we should blitz more.

* They have to find a way to get the ILB’s down hill more. Queen is a completely different player when you ask hum to attack. Its very frustrating. We would be 8-0 right now if we played more aggressive defense. We would have blown out the Giants if we played a more aggressive defense. We have the players in place to do this. Its all about the philosophy of Tomlin and the scheme. I really how we make some changes in the second half of the season if not this conservative style of defense could come back to hurt us.

We have an offense that may be able to come from behind but when your down by ten plus points the run game and play action often go out the window so our offensive line may be exposed then as well as having a lack of second wr talent. Teams will just double up on GP and blitz the heck out of us. Tomlin can loosen it up a little more now that we have Russ cooking meaning he doesn’t have to worry so much about keeping the game close and he can take some risks on defense more with more aggressive coverages and blitzing more.

 

Luck has nothing to do with it

 

He had 38 yards rushing. Two 13 yard runs, and then 10 carries for 12 yards. That's contained.
The splash play was a short pass where three players got wrecked within 5 yards trying to make the tackle.