The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has a lot of new faces in 2023, and as a result, the team struggled with communication, particularly in their 30-7 Week One loss against the San Francisco 49ers. It was an issue that Mike Tomlin acknowledged after initially brushing it off, but CB Patrick Peterson said it’s an issue that’s getting fixed. Peterson said he thinks the Steelers’ defense can be really good and mentioned the improving communication as a reason why.
“We can be really good. We still have a ways to go, we’re still having the opportunity to figure out one another, how one another likes to play. The communication is getting so much better from Week One now going into Week Four. It’s starting to gel together very well and I’m liking the process that we’re taking,” Peterson said on The Rich Eisen Show Friday.
If the communication issue lingered, there would be larger problems at hand. The defense, while having a lot of new guys, is still a very veteran-laden group and guys who have solid leadership skills. They knew that the communication problems were unacceptable and it’s something the defense has really worked to fix.
The more they hit the field together, the better the communication will be, naturally, and guys will just become more familiar with one another and play styles and instincts. Peterson was able to snag his first interception of the season in Week Three, and the defense has been a strength over the last two weeks.
While there have still been some issues in coverage, the Steelers’ run defense took a major step forward against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. They were able to force turnovers, with three interceptions of QB Jimmy Garoppolo, but he did manage to throw for 324 yards. There’s stuff to clean up, and Peterson acknowledged that there’s a long way to go. But the ceiling is high, and the defense seems to be getting on the same page more and more each week.
They’ve gotten some splash from the inside linebacker group, with Cole Holcomb playing as advertised, maybe even better than advertised. The improvement of that unit has been key for the Steelers, and DL Larry Ogunjobi has also done a great job stepping up with DL Cameron Heyward injured. It’s a deep and talented defense, and if they can fully get on the same page and continue improving their communication, it’s a group that I’d expect to look really good the rest of the season.
Watch the full interview below:
