If you think the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defenders are embarrassed by their performance of late, then know that they are not alone, because their predecessors are embarrassed for them as well—and for the league as a whole.
In a season in which offensive records—both individual or team and league-wide—are falling down like fences in a tornado, players who played ‘back in the day’ are lamenting the inability of defenses to play effective football any longer.
And by ‘back in the day’, I mean like…half a decade ago. A pair of two-time Super Bowl champions with the Steelers, Brett Keisel and Ike Taylor, shared their thoughts about the current state of defensive football on Twitter following the team’s 26-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in which they once again gave up over 350 yards through the air.
“Fantasy football killed the game we got to play”, Keisel wrote. The amount of [money] generated by fantasy is too good for league to ignore! It has changed the players too! They use it as a measuring stick. Grateful I got to play when the game still cared about Defense. It’s becoming obsolete”.
Fantasy football killed the game we got to play. The amount of 🤑 generated by fantasy is too good for league to ignore! It has changed the players too! They use it as a measuring stick.
Grateful I got to play when the game still cared about Defense. It’s becoming obsolete.😥 pic.twitter.com/eZA0umG5GC— Brett Keisel (@bkeisel99) October 1, 2018
A number of rule changes have been implemented over the course of the past decade since the Steelers last won the Super Bowl, which makes it more difficult for them to defend. If we were to re view the 2008 Super Bowl season, I’m sure we would find many, many hits that would now be considered legal today that went on to instead be featured on highlight reels.
Taylor also weighed in, responding to Keisel’s Tweet and writing, “back in the day when we argued with each other…if a team put up 17 points on us…took criticism well back then…cause if you didn’t criticize me you didn’t care”.
Back in the day when we argued with each other…if a team put up 17 points on us…took criticism well back then…cause if you didn’t criticize me you didn’t care…💯 https://t.co/qUE7cU3IgQ
— Ike Taylor (@Ike_SwagginU) October 1, 2018
The Steelers have given up at least 21 points in every game so far this season, and at least 26 points in three of the four games. The defense only allowed 20 points or more in two of the first 10 games last season, though they then proceeded to give up 113 points over a four-game stretch.
Keisel continued to weigh in himself, responding to Taylor. “Back in the day we made teams quit because of our physical nature”, he wrote. “Now D quits because they can’t finish plays or inflict pain for fear of a penalty or fine. The game IS supposed to be physical and violent. Isn’t that why we love it?”.
Back in the day we made teams quit because of our physical nature. Now D quits because they can’t finish plays or inflict pain for fear of a penalty or fine. The game IS supposed to be physical and violent. Isn’t that why we love it? https://t.co/VAHxbj93Xz
— Brett Keisel (@bkeisel99) October 2, 2018
I think it’s safe to say that pretty much everybody reading this is going to wholeheartedly agree with the comments of these ‘oldtimers’, recalling how things were ‘back in the day’ five to 10 years ago.
