Last Year/This Year

Hey Everyone.

As we all know, in great part, the success of this team is highly dependent on the Defense being triumphant. Analyzing a bit deeper the Defense being successful is HIGHLY RELIANT upon our Front-7. It has been this way during BOTH Tomlin’s and Cowher’s tenures. If the Front-7 could play now, the way that they did last season, prior to the losses of Bush and Dupree, we would be a force to be reckoned with.

I vividly remember how Fast our Defense was last season. I mean really playing at a high-speed. They were creating turnovers and sacks on a consistent basis. Constantly, in the opposing teams’ backfields. I had not been that excited about a Steelers’ Defense in a while from what I remember.

Even the Secondary was very good: Haden, Nelson, Fitzpatrick and even Edmunds were “solid”. Then came the losses of Bush and Dupree and it seemingly started the downward spiral from there.

When last season's Defense was intact, for me, it was almost reminiscent of some of the 1970’s teams in which we had just about every starting Defensive position covered.

Well, that did not last long as the “drop-off” began with the Bush and Dupree injuries. Then the off-season continued the Defensive "deterioration". Nelson, Hilton, Dupree and Vince Williams all left. Bush is back but not anywhere near 100% IMO. Tuitt’s whereabouts/status is a big “mystery” to all of us. Alualu is gone after one game.

These “losses” have been devastating to this team. The Defense is/was the backbone of the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, they are seemingly but a mere shell of what we had this time just one year ago. Like the saying goes: “what a difference a year makes”. Very sad. Black and Gold baby!



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

When we lost Tuitt and then Alualu the Defense became a huge challenge. So far they have met that challenge for the most part. I'm actually surprised we're not a 3 win team right now. This is largely in part due to the defense holding their ground. Add to it that the offense is not fluid enough throughout the game with play calling that is borderline insane sometimes. 5-3 right now is more than I could ask for.