Chris Boswell saved the day for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, but besides him, their entire defensive unit deserves a ton of credit. T.J. Watt wrecked the game plan for the Atlanta Falcons, but there were so many defensive players who had a positive impact. However, that doesn’t mean they were perfect. Defensive lineman Montravius Adams believes there’s still one area they can improve in.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Adams was asked about the defense’s communication.
“If I’m being honest, I think it’s okay, but that’s a characteristic that we can strengthen,” Adams said via the team’s website.
If Adams felt the communication could’ve been better against the Falcons, it’ll be amazing to see what they look like when that improves. They suffocated the Falcons’ offense, especially in the second half, where they either created a turnover or forced the Falcons to punt on every drive.
Adams went on to explain how he feels like the Steelers can strengthen their communication.
“I think it starts with guys trusting each other and the things we did in training camp. The camaraderie building things that help bring us together as people, not only just football players.”
It sounds like the defense needs to jell a little more, which is natural. They have a lot of new players on that side of the ball, so it makes sense that they’d need to play together a little more to improve their communication. That’s just another component of the game. As the season goes on, this issue will likely be solved.
When Adams talks about communication issues, he’s probably referring to the Falcons’ opening drive and the lone drive that ended in a touchdown. Those were the only two instances where the Steelers’ defense looked beatable. The Falcons really gave it to them during the opening series, letting their ground game take over.
However, the Steelers bent but didn’t break, only allowing a field goal thanks to a huge tackle by Payton Wilson. The touchdown drive looked a little rougher, though. The Falcons went 90 yards in nine plays during a drive that only took a little over three minutes.
That drive did include the crazy catch from former Steelers Ray-Ray McCloud and Watt’s amazing strip sack being called back on a bogus penalty, so it really wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Their new pieces made plays, and they should operate at an even higher level as they get more reps together. No team is perfect, and there are always ways to improve.
