The Pittsburgh Steelers allowed just 214 rushing yards through three weeks, Cameron Heyward a cornerstone of that unit. Unfortunately, they struggled to retain that level of performance on Sunday in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Even disregarding the run defense, they gave up more points than in the first three weeks combined. While the Colts were effective passing, it was the run game that helped spark the initial rush. Heyward and the Steelers ultimately allowed 133 yards with one touchdown on the ground, at 4.2 yards per attempt. But they did so much of the damage early.
Through the first half, the Steelers allowed 84 rushing yards. The Colts finished their opening drive with four consecutive rushes, culminating in a two-yard Jonathan Taylor score. He also had a 14-yard rush on that drive, with QB Anthony Richardson picking up nine. So what do the Steelers do to fix it?
“I don’t know. We didn’t do great at stopping the run early. I thought in the second half we were better. But 85 yards [in] a half is unacceptable”, Heyward said. Technically, they allowed 84, not 85, but the point still stands: not good enough. The Steelers are better than that, even if Taylor is an impressive runner.
My theory is that the Steelers did not expect Richardson to have the passing success he had, and that caused ripple effects with their defense defending the run. But, as Heyward acknowledges, it doesn’t help that they started in nickel and could not dictate play.
“Sometimes you try to stay in nickel and then [they] run the ball or [get] quick passes out”, Heyward said of the Steelers’ run defense to start the game. “Just trying to counteract our rush. But you’ve got to force them into tougher situations. Third and long is always an advantage for a defense, but we didn’t take advantage of that”.
The Steelers handled the run game better in the second half, but it was already 17-3 by halftime. Even when they scored a touchdown, the Colts matched touchdown for touchdown. When the Steelers made it 17-10, the Colts made it 24-10. Patrick Queen tried to put the blame on his shoulders, but he had plenty of company.
Heyward said they could have dug out of that 17-point hole, but they had to be nearly perfect. The Steelers didn’t come close to being perfect, allowing the Colts 10 second-half points. The Steelers did score 21 of their own, with three offensive touchdowns on three consecutive drives.
But it started right from the opening drive, when the Colts imposed their will. Again, they beat the Steelers both through the air and on the ground, but I think it was the physicality that threw them, ultimately.
The Steelers came into this game with one of the best defenses in the NFL. They left the game looking like anything but. They must find a way to ensure that this is a one-game aberration rather than a recurring pattern.
