The Pittsburgh Steelers underwent a lot of changes leading up to the 2023 season, especially in the secondary.
Out the door went Cameron Sutton, Terrell Edmunds and Arthur Maulet. In came Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, Keanu Neal, and rookie Joey Porter Jr, not to mention Desmond King II a week before the start of the season.
So far, that serious overhaul in the secondary hasn’t paid off. The Steelers have struggled mightily against the opponent’s top receiver week after week, and that occurred again in Week Four on the road against the Houston Texans.
Wide receiver Nico Collins went off for 168 yards and two touchdowns, marking the second straight week a team’s No. 1 receiver went for at least 160 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers’ defense.
For CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr, the Steelers’ secondary is a major problem.
“Nico Collins was the latest No. 1 wide receiver to go off on the Steelers, finishing with seven catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers have allowed Brandon Aiyuk to go for 129 yards and two scores and Davante Adams to have 172 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not good for any football team, but particularly embarrassing for a proud franchise like the Steelers,” Kerr writes for CBSSports.com regarding the Steelers’ struggles in the secondary. “Might be time to move Minkah Fitzpatrick to free safety full time to start.”
Though the secondary is taking the football away with three interceptions and one fumble recovery, the defensive backs are simply struggling to cover guys at this point in the season.
As Kerr points out, the Steelers allowed Aiyuk to go off in Week One, finishing with eight receptions on eight targets for 129 yards and two touchdowns, both of which beat Peterson. Then, in Week Two, Cleveland’s Amari Cooper finished with seven receptions for 90 yards, winning consistently against Peterson and Levi Wallace in man coverage.
Week Three saw Las Vegas’ Adams put together an absurd game, finishing with 13 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns on 20 targets, which then led to Collins’ 7/168/2 day against the Steelers.
It starts with the corners in Wallace and Peterson. According to Pro Football Reference, the two are allowing more than 13.0 yards per reception despite allowing just over 60% completion percentage when targeted in coverage. Wallace has allowed a team-high 21 receptions on 34 targets for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while Peterson has allowed 14 receptions on 23 targets for 213 yards and four touchdowns.
Those numbers are not good.
Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. continues to play in just sub-package football, limiting his playing time. On the year, Porter has allowed just two receptions on six targets for 25 yards. He’s more than held his own, yet the Steelers continue to slow-play him.
Based on how the Steelers’ cornerbacks have struggled so far, maybe Porter starts to get more run in base packages. That might help against the opponent’s top receivers. If not, Wallace and Peterson need to find a way to play better. It might not get better anytime soon, too.
Rookie Zay Flowers is up next with the Ravens, while the Steelers will then deal with the likes of the Los Angeles Rams’ Puca Nacua and potentially Cooper Kupp in Week Seven after the bye, as well as Jacksonville’s Calvin Ridley in Week Eight.
