The Teryl Austin/Defense Complaint Thread (2025)

I didn't like the Slay signing that was dumb giving a 34-year-old CB 10 million guaranteed, they should have learned their lesson from signing Patrick Peterson.

 

Not sure, but definitely one of the top 2 worst DC's ever and definitely the worst HC of my lifetime (Noll had a decade for the ages and Cowher was aggressive in trying to find good OC and DC, not comfy hires of retreads with no ambition or poor track records).

Other than Haley, Tomlin has made ALL bad hires.

 

Terry Glenn smoked Woodson for a long TD on the first play of the game IIRC.

 

Even worse than that (the rules nerf some toughness) is the complete lack of aggressiveness. It's the bend and break defense. Soft zones, unimaginative pass-rush, unimaginative pre-snap movements (or lack thereof).

Sucks to be a Steelers fan, enough talent to be a contender, even if not favored, but horrible coaching has hobbled this group of solid players, making them look like a team that would struggle to beat the best college teams.

 

My brain was right.

 

It didn't help that Kordell was 0-10 passing in that game. He didn't complete one freaking throw.

 

My "fan" life began in 1993, so I've been massively spoiled with good D.

This year is by far the worst defense I've watched. Though, had Watt not been such a game wrecker in the past, the last 5 years wouldn't be much better either.

 

I thought Tomczak started at QB for that game. Stewart may have gotten some mop up time at the end of the game.

IIRC, Stewart didn't start an NFL game until week 1 of 1997 vs Cowboys.

 

I didn't like all of that big talk during training camp about how good this defense was going to be, Tomlin with that nonsense about the defense was going to be historic. Then you had Thornhill running his mouth he just got here he needs to be quiet, and he's not that good of a player.

 

its the worst based on expectations but its probably not the worst.

but there is still time for them to win the crown.

 

Steelers lost that playoff game to the Patriots, but won a playoff game vs Patriots the following year with Kordell at QB.

Plus, Steelers won a playoff game vs Colts the week prior to the Fog Bowl with Tomczak at QB.

 

That's correct. Tomczak started the game and was ineffective so Cowher switched to Stewart at halftime and he was even worse.

 

Back then they could win the statistics and lose the game

 

Here is the greatest of all time.

 

I'll wait for the end of the season to declare such a thing. There's like 10 games left and a small chance they can figure this out. But the trajectory is awful and the last 14 is just as gloomy. Tomlin, Austin and the highest paid defense need to figure this out.

 

Steelers are last in pass defense
Steelers are 18th in rush defense
Steelers are 4th in RZ defense
Steelers are 24th in 3rd down defense

Steelers are 22nd in scoring defense


Steelers are 30th in total defense?


https://www.foxsports.com/articles/nfl/2025-nfl-defense-rankings-team-pass-and-rush-stats

 

Probably Noll's defense in his 1st year, 1969, was the worst, 404 points allowed for a 14 game schedule? 1968 was bad too under Bill Austin. But those were total rebuilding years.

this may be the worst since that time. And we were supposed to make a playoff run?! Its just time for Austin and Tomlin to go. Whether Rooney wants to accept that or not i think it’s pretty obvious.

 

The defense is so bad the Steelers might need to get cheerleaders so the fans have something to watch.

 

I don't think having the highest paid defense is the problem; the problem is acquiring washed up veterans via FA and trades and overpaying them. I said it in the summer that having like 5 or 6 guys on the wrong side of 30 will be a problem and here we are. This staff needs to find a core of younger guys, presumably Harmon, Benton, Queen, Wilson, Herbig, and JPJ and build around them, preferably in the draft. The rest are expendable, dead cap hits or not.

 

Bottom line is this defense needs to be younger, and has to be built from the draft. A bunch of aging has beens, although, great at one time are not gonna produce any results to help this team.

 

Seems like it. I was a bit checked out in the 80s but we had some bad defenses in there as well.

 

When were they called soft and cheesy?

 

It is right up there as the worst, late 60's were pretty weak also.

 

To be fair. Back in the day defenses were allowed to be much more aggressive. Defenses in the NFL today are forced to be soft.

 

As Chuck Noll said; stats are for the losing team.