Is our defense better?

I was so happy to finally see our defense create turnovers and have 7 sacks, but man, we gave them 94 plays!!!!! without those turnovers, it would have been a completely different game. I also realize that our offense didn't do crap to sustain long drives to rest our defense. I want to see a complete dominate performance from our defense that I have not see in couple of years. Last year, I do not recall a complete dominate performance and I'm afraid it going to be again this year. I think our defense plays only up to competition level and that scares me. I want to see a 30-0 domination.

 

Defense gave the Bengals that many plays due to the Offense's continued inability to sustain drives. For that matter, how Minkah Fitzpatrick played the way he did... feeling the way he did no less, is a testament to what Tomlin has taught since 2007; conditioning. No way in HELL Defenses are equipped to survive basically 2/3's of a football game.


That said... this is what the 2019 Steelers did when Big Ben went down. Somehow, someway, this team just finds ways to win... each time. It never ceases to amaze... or ceases to increase the likelihood of cardiovascular issues for many of us down the line in our lives.

 

I'm not going to lie...my mouth literally dropped open at this. Our defense was AMAZING yesterday. No buts or what ifs in my opinion.

 

We smacked them around hopefully good defense continues with the patriots

 

Keep attacking, good things will happen.

 

The defense were on the field for 94 plays because of our awful offense.Only 9 first down for the first 4 quarter for the steelers offense.Just awful

 

without complementary football from the offense this won't happen. the game has changed alot. the rules heavily favor the offense.

 

Until the injuries hit, yes, the defense was absolutely better than last year. The addition of Ogonjobi and the return of Alualu have made the front much stronger. Jack is a big upgrade at inside linebacker. Of course, that didn't last long with the losses of Wallace and Watt.

 

yes. run defense is largely improved. We have an elite defense

 

It was the first time in the Steelers 90 year history that they gave up over 30 first downs and had less than 15 and still won the game. That has only happened 3 times in the entire NFL during the last 20 years. Also the Bengals time of possession was 43.33 the most a Steeler opponent has ever had in a game.

 

Any unit or team is only as good as it's last performance. Different opposition creates different matchups and problems. Perceptions, rankings, stats, ect don't matter when teams face off vs one another. If the team doesn't come to play and execute well enough that team can lose.

 

Just think if the offense sustains some drives then the defense doesn’t have all those splash plays.

 

As great as our defense is they will surely be gassed and as observed yesterday injury prone should they have to be on the field all game due to the terrible offense.

5 turnovers, 7 sacks, 8 pressures on Burrow. blocked FG, 14 tackles by Minkah, 10 of them solo, Heyward playing lights out. Highsmith dominating. Bush was even tackling. This game should have been over in the second qtr. Steelers should have won by 30. Instead the offense almost blew it for them squeaking out a OT last second 53 yard FG from Boz.

Why is Matt Canada still the OC?

 

And our offense were even worst that last year.Last year,the steelers were in bottom 10 in first down but they had 15 first down or more in every game(outside of one game vs titans).Yesterday they had only 9 first down in regulation time.Pathetic!

 

I can already tell he’s smarter than Keith Butler…dadgummit!

 

Or Tomlin, Who's just standing there...But he's better at other things, dumb A** sayings, or busting a move, or choreographing their celebrations

 

Those days of shutting teams out are over dude, the Steel Curtain defense isn't walking through that door.

 

Why? Is TJ out for the year or something?

 

That was nice to see the media darling Burrow get smacked around, I'm sure the Bengals were confident after blowing out the Steelers twice last season, and Boyd running his mouth saying the Steelers quit against them last season.

 

This will launch his new career…

Cordell Volson
Certified Public Accountant

 

This is why on 3rd 5 you don’t throw 40 yard bombs! Not even more scores just some longer drives would help. When you get the ball at 1:40 and can’t run out clock, that is sad

 

As one of the "really old timers" here (I was a very young fan when the Steelers had 3 head coaches in 5 seasons, not 50), this comment reminded me of what may have been the greatest defensive performance in the modern era.

The 1976 Steelers, coming off two Super Bowl wins, start the season 1-4, and lose Bradshaw for seven games in the 5th game (and loss) against Cleveland. I can imagine the comments had this board existed back then!! With only 9 games left, most agreed the playoffs were a pipe dream.

Instead, over those 9 games, the defense gave up a total of 28 points. Five of the games were shut-outs, including three in a row at one point. Only Houston scored more than 6 points in that span. It was one of my favorite seasons.

I'll disagree that the days of 30-0 shutouts are over, but I will say we will never see another defense like that 1976 team.