The Teryl Austin/Defense Complaint Thread (2025)

Tomlin has 2 of the 5 listed..lol

 

Nope.


2015 thru 2018 say hello.

 

It's probably not, but it certainly feels like it. Not being able to cover, tackle, or pressure the QB is not a good recipe for success.

But you never know. Maybe the next few games we go back to getting 5 sacks / game like we did in games 2-5 or whatever it was.

There's still a lot of season left, so just checking the rankings doesn't really mean all that much (unless we went back and looked at every 7 game span to see if this is the worst one...which would be a waste of time / effort IMO).

Thing is, it might get worse (statistically) because we've got what is probably the harder part of the schedule still in front of us.

 

Yeah, I think the colors seem to represent positives for the driving team, which I thought was backward as well. But it looks like it's divided up every ten yards, with red being the least yards allowed, moving from red, to pink, to lighter pink, then to light green, up until darker green being the most yards allowed.

 

Maybe it depends if they have score a FG,TD or not?

 

I've been a fan since around 1978 or so. I don't know if this is the worst, I remember as a kid, thinking I was clever, calling the Steelers "Steel Curtain" the "Swiss Cheese Curtain" at some point in the 80s for a couple of years. It sure seems like I remember it being pretty bad at some points then.

But this years defense, which people were saying "could be the best NFL defense in history" before the season started, is certain up there. Especially b/c on paper the expectations for this defense were very high, so that adds some extra sting. But all the talent in the world doesn't automatically overcome bad scheming and predictability.

 

EDIT: I see my error. In the OP I should have titled "2nd Half Yds Gained" (offense perspective). Then the color scale makes sense. (hey, it was early morning when I threw it together)

All data is from NFL pbp. Color scaled from the possessing team's perspective (yards gained). Each column (game) is color-scaled independently from worst to best drive in the half.

If you prefer the reverse (defense's perspective):

2nd HALF YARDS ALLOWED

 

Give me Mike Mitchell and Ryan Shazier anyday over this. Javon Hargrave, too.

 

Based on what's on the roster...... absolutely

 

What makes it so infuriating is that there is top end talent on the roster. They just play like a bunch of uncoordinated individuals who are all looking for the splash play.

 

I get that you might be fishing for positives in a sea of negative but it's as bad as it looks. In the last two games the opponent has scored on every 2nd half possession except one.

 

This defense might have some big names but they're on the older side.

 

1969

 

OK, that would be realistic. Greene's rookie year, the defense was a mess. But those who believe the 80's defenses were worse than this '25 defense are delusional.

 

It's been my opinion that I don't care how many yards the other team gets. Did they score?
We can be dead last in the NFL in yards allowed, but top 10 defense in points allowed, and I'm usually still happy.


The yards don't beat you. The points beat you. This is why we lost vs the Packers. We got FGs, they got TDs. It really is that simple.

 

ILBs- Sean Spence and Devin Bush
Safeties- Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis
CBs- Arty Burns and end of career Joe Haden


No. This is not the worst defense. Season ranking is not an apples to apples comparison. I would not trade this defense for that one. Honestly.

 

Based on the talent we SHOULD have on this D, and the amount of money spent on it. It not only is the worst Steelers D in my lifetime, it may be the worst I've ever seen in the NFL in my lifetime. I've seen worse defenses, but never with the talent and money sunk into it like this one.

 

We all are worried

 

Got smoked in the playoffs by the Patriots 28-3 and Cowher's GM threw him under the bus

 

And Tuitt

 

I have followed the Steelers since 1973 and this is the worst defense by far. Last couple of years to be exact. Can't tackle, can't cover, can't communicate.

 

That's what I said before the season to you, but you refused to listen to me when I said my excitement for this year was at its lowest in several years.

 

Points are most important, but if you're allowing tons of yards, the opposing team is also likely controlling the TOP, which limits your own offense's opportunities to score points. Bad all around, for sure.