Steelers Defense vs Draft Selection

Found this interesting FWIW....yes some theoretically have looked like they have plateaued in their career vs annual production but it looks like an all star team on paper with many below having proven to be effective players.

So there is this game film over 2025 that the D struggles against the quick slants.
Can some explain how this is a communication problem?
Was a DB defender expecting inside support?
Could Queen have faked the blitz and backed off to jump the route?
Im oversimplifying but just curious how to fix this as now every team will exploit until the D can show it can stop it.


Here are the Steelers’ current defensive starters (Week 6, 2025) and the round they were drafted in, per the team depth chart: Pittsburgh Steelers

• DT Cameron Heyward — Round 1 (2011). NFL.com
  
  
• NT Keeanu Benton — Round 2 (2023). Pittsburgh Steelers
  
  
• DE Derrick Harmon — Round 1 (2025). Pittsburgh Steelers
  
  
• OLB T.J. Watt — Round 1 (2017). ESPN.com
  
  
• ILB Patrick Queen — Round 1 (2020). Wikipedia
  
  
• ILB Payton Wilson — Round 3 (2024). Wikipedia
  
  
• OLB Alex Highsmith — Round 3 (2020). NFL.com
  
  
• CB Darius Slay — Round 2 (2013). NFL.com
  
  
• FS Juan Thornhill — Round 2 (2019). NFL.com
  
  
• SS DeShon Elliott — Round 6 (2018). NFL.com
  
  
• CB Joey Porter Jr. — Round 2 (2023). NFL.com
  
  
• NB Jalen Ramsey — Round 1 (2016). ESPN.com
  

Quick count: 1st-rounders (5), 2nd-rounders (4), 3rd-rounders (2), 6th-rounders (1).

 

Just my opinion. It wasn't the 328 passing yards that beat us. It was the 142 rushing yards. They had 20 more offensive snaps than we did, we lost the turnover battle, and we had 7 knucklehead penalties. And we still coulda/shoulda won that game.

 

I keep on saying it…but there is a reason Ravens let Queen walk…he was considered a bust until his last year there.

draft round is good to look at, but you, got to look at age too.

Slay and Ramsey can’t run anymore.

 

Thought Queen has been in the league longer than 4 years.

 

All22 exposes the players habitually out of position and arguing presnap. Queen had to tell Holcomb and Wilson where to line up on countless plays. On one of the slants, the zone that where Chase went to on a crosser was Holcomb's, but he followed the TE on a seam route leaving Chase wide open with space to go up field.

I'll agree that giving up 142 on the ground did this defense in.

I just hope this game was just an aberration as opposed to scabs from last season resurfacing.

 

Maybe also with the rule change you cant be an enforcer anymore down the middle.
I remember Harrison laying out Welker via the quick slant.

 

Queen; 7th in the NFL in missed tackles among all LB.

 

we allowed 470 yards of offense to them. no turnovers. you won't win too many with that type of game. we have been getting killed on 3rd down all year. the only reason we have won is the turnovers we have gotten for the most part. it's not because he is such a good coach. we have very veteran players that he doesn't have to coach very much. it won't evolve under him.

 

Did you mean to reply to a different post? You quoted me but our posts don't seem to have anything to do with each other.

 

328 + 142= 470

 

I still refuse to do the math!

 

DAMN my head refuses to remember that sheesh
MY BAD B2S

 

I agree with this. We let them have too many 3rd and manageable, and the success of their run game helped them chew up the clock and sustain long drives. We win that game if we stop the run, simple as that. Unfortunately its something that we've struggled to do with any consistency this season.

 

yes. it was about you saying the 142 yards against the run was the downfall. we gave up 470 overall to them. pass defense along with the run defense sunk this ship. we have been living on splash plays. sacks and turnovers. even at that we have been squeaking out wins. i agree we were still close in this one but was it ever really comfortable at any stage?

 

Watch the last Bengals possession in particular. Queen and Elliot I believe both running to cover the RB in the flat leaving Chase wide open in the MOF. And on DBell's podcast he talked about Porter playing completely wrong technique. It's the little things.

The Steelers might have thought they had a good plan for this game but when it didn't work they went into a confused mess on what to do. This falls as much on the coaching side of it as well. The DC had no answers.

 

This D has no idea what to do once a player goes in motion. Everyone get’s confused.

 

I was unable to see the game unfortunately. I read it was scheme, execution, and effective exploitation by the WR vs the Steelers DB.

What I am interested in seeing are the corrective actions as I have no idea how this can be fixed.
Silly question but can they make Slay and Ramsey into safeties like Rod Woodson?
If Cory Trice can stay healthy then maybe he would match up better?