Most of the best NFL franchises have a strong culture that has allowed them to remain competitive. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their team is usually defined by their defense. That’s been their culture since the 1970s, when the Steel Curtain led them to four Super Bowl victories. Today, they’re still a defense-oriented team, but they’ve struggled to find success. Analyst Dave Dameshek thinks the Steelers are wrong to continue clinging to that philosophy.
“It’s an offensive league now,” Dameshek said Tuesday on the NFL on FOX podcast. “When you lean too hard into, ‘This team’s going to win via defense’, what are you doing? I don’t know if you heard, it’s all about the quarterback now.
“Did you see what happened in Washington? You have had a half dozen years now with Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick. It’s added up to zero playoff wins. Washington was a punchline. They drafted a quarterback and were in the NFC title game six months later.”
The NFL is indeed a more offensive league today. High-powered offenses led by superstar quarterbacks tend to be in the mix for a championship. Gone are the days of the 1970s. Many rule changes since then have favored offenses.
Look at the last few teams that have won Super Bowls. They’ve been headlined by quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, and Tom Brady.
However, those players weren’t the only reason why those teams won Super Bowls. The Philadelphia Eagles built a dominant defense, led by a ferocious front seven. The Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill, their most dynamic weapon, and went on to win two Super Bowls. The Los Angeles Rams amassed a collection of defensive stars, led by Aaron Donald, one of the best defenders ever.
Teams win Super Bowls. That means offense, defense, and special teams. Some teams, like the Steelers, can fight for a playoff spot with one side of the ball carrying the other. However, it’s hard for them to actually be competitive. The Steelers do need to be better on offense, but that doesn’t mean they should sacrifice their defense.
The 2024 Cincinnati Bengals are a perfect example. QB Joe Burrow was one of the best players in the league, and he incredible playmakers around him. However, their defense was dreadful. As a result, they missed the playoffs entirely.
Having a franchise quarterback is important in today’s NFL, but it isn’t everything. The 2010s Steelers learned that the hard way. Many members of their vaunted defense of the 2000s retired, and while they still had Ben Roethlisberger, they failed to even get back to the Super Bowl. Part of that is because their defense wasn’t strong enough to support their offense.
The truth is more likely that complete teams compete for and win championships. Teams can still make the Super Bowl without having a superstar quarterback. In his sophomore season, Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to the championship game. Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo have quarterbacked teams to the Super Bowl within the last 10 years, too.
Those quarterbacks had great defenses and stellar supporting casts on offense. There’s a formula for the Steelers to fight for a championship without a franchise quarterback. Those types of players don’t grow on trees, either. If the Steelers do find their next franchise QB, he’ll probably have a better chance at success if their defense is talented enough to support him.
