The run defense with and without Derrick Harmon this season

Blessing or curse; one rookie that important.

 

We gave up over 200 yards rushing to the Ratbirds.

 

SHOCKING!!!!



On a serious note, do people now understand why I have been pounding for the likes of Peter Woods from Clemson since Week 4?! Losing Derrick Harmon is already bad enough. The depth behind him is even worse. Yahya Black gets grace for me as he is literally tapped stamina wise by the time the second half is at the midway point. Why that is?! Pittsburgh literally has no one else but Black and Harmon.


Keeanu Benton isn't it. Heyward isn't getting any younger and this could be it for him no less. Pittsburgh seriously needs to invest in that position early in 2026. If there truly is no QB on the board by then and Peter Woods is still available?! To hell with it and trade up for him.


Quasi Generational talents like Peter Woods don't grow on trees.

 

Curse. 100%


That falls 100% on lack of Coaching, Drafting, Development and Scheme. That much falls heavily on both Tomlin and Austin. Keeanu Benton regressing since his Rookie Season is a major factor.

 

Definitely need some beef up front.
I think Harmon is facing knee surgery in the off season to be honest. Not a major one, but just to clean things up as long as he doesn't do more damage.

 

Unfortunately for the Steelers DT is the weakest position in the 2026 draft. "The Godfather" Dontae Corleone might not be a bad option. At least one site comps Corleone to Steelers Hampton. Not a pass rush demon but a guy you aren't going to run through.

 

Corleone is very overrated.

 

It isn't just what he can do on the inside. Peter is a deadly stuntman as well; further evidenced that he can hit the 7 to 9 gaps while looping from even the 2 to 4 gaps. IDL isn't a position I'd typically pound the table to trade up for.


Peter Woods though is an exception to the rule. Unless Dante Moore declares, Peter Woods has my vote for who the team should trade up for.

 

Wait, I thought Tomlin didn't do halftime adjustments.....;

 

A lot seems to have changed since the fire Mike Tomlin chants at the game began.

 

It’s only minor surgery when it’s someone else’s body

 

You make a good point.
I remember when the Doc told me that I needed a "minor surgery"

 

Benton just can't anchor against double teams at all. He gets moved and has really struggled when asked to do that. He shows good movement skills and can rush the quarterback pretty well for an interior lineman, but he doesn't hold up as that run stuffer in the middle when asked to play a traditional 3-4 nose tackle that eats up blockers.

Harmon is a revelation. When he is in the game, this looks like a different defensive unit. I can't wait until he develops more to his game. At times, he is flat out dominant controlling the player in front of him. What he did against the Lions and an All-Pro player in Penei Sewell was eye-popping. He rag dolled Sewell several times. Just tossed him around. Very impressive stuff.

 

BAM!! BIGTITS!!

 

Keep an eye on the Eagles Dline and steal a guy.

 

I am still convinced we are simply just playing Benton out of position as a NT. He should be mostly a 3/4 tech who plays DT when we are in nickel. He can move, he has good pass rush moves, he has big games where he disengages from blockers and wreaks havoc... but he simply isn't the guy that is going to take on a C/G double team and win/stalemate frequently. I wouldn't hate taking a big DT like McDonald and using him in a 2 down role and using Benton as more of a DE/DT type. Harmon/NT/Benton is actually a pretty good DL imo. We'd still need to make sure our depth is good (Black and Otomewo are really the best looking depth we've had in there) since you'd want to rotate as much as possible.

I think we probably need to find a second ILB to go with Queen. Wilson hasn't been able to find himself on the field and Malik Harrison... just isn't good. He's a step too slow and should be a cap casualty in the offseason. Maybe someone like Quay Walker could be a good fit for us? Though, if we want to keep a rotation going opposite Queen then maybe Leo Chenal makes sense? We're going to have 40 million in space (though cuts of Jonnu Smith and Malik Harrison frees up nearly 12 million, and that isn't even factoring in possible extensions for Ramsey, Heyward, and Boswell that could lower cap numbers and potential restructuring in DK, TJ, and Highsmith's contracts). There's going to be at least a little bit of money available and if we can get a couple guys re-signed (Gainwell and Samuel are most likely IMO) and find a couple key contributors (mainly a WR2 and a ILB2), our roster should look pretty solid.

 

I am all about stockpiling younger defensive linemen. The Eagles kept drafting Defensive Linemen with higher round picks and looked at Free Agency to fill in depth. We need a rotation that puts relentless pressure on Quarterbacks and isn't washed 2/3 of the way into the season.

 

I saw Lambert's profile pic which is far, far, far better than that one STD had.... and I thought that's nice.
But not for me.

 

Best check for a horse head in your bed.

 

THAT IS WHY YOU DRAFT BIG UGLIES on the OLINE and DLINE!

we have neglected that DLINE for many years.

Go DLINE again next year if a SOLID big man is there!