For several years now, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been the lifeblood of the team. If that unit has success, the team usually does, too. When the defense struggles, the results prove it. That was evident toward the end of the 2024 season when Pittsburgh lost five straight games and couldn’t stop a nosebleed defensively. However, with Aaron Rodgers running the offense this year, former offensive lineman Kyle Long thinks his presence could help the defense out as well.
“You mentioned one guy, by the name of Aaron Rodgers. And one thing that this team has struggled with is being able to string these drives together, which leaves your defense out there on the field, and they’ve got their tongues hanging out… Imagine if Aaron Rodgers can string some drives together. Imagine if this offense can put some points on the board. Put that Pittsburgh Steelers front-facing edge rushing group with their ears pinned back, know you’re gonna pass the ball, watch what happens there,” Long said on CBS Sports’ Pushing The Pile podcast on Monday.
It’s hard to pin the blame specifically on the Steelers offense or defense in regard to how last season ended. We do know that neither unit played well. Teams strive for complimentary football, where each side of the ball helps set the other up in good positions. Pittsburgh played about as uncomplimentary as it gets during that skid.
Long makes a good point here. After the Steelers won their 10th game last year, at home against the Cleveland Browns, the offense really struggled to find any sort of consistency. Around the same time is when the defense started to struggle. In their playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers came out of the gate struggling on offense. The same could be said about their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as some of their other losses during that stretch. Pittsburgh got nothing going offensively, meaning the defense was on the field too often and couldn’t keep up as a result.
That’s not to absolve the defense of any blame, though. No matter how Rodgers looks in 2025, they’ll have to play better. Still, there’s reason to believe Rodgers can help them do that.
Rodgers struggled against pressure last year, but with such a quick release, he should take less sacks than Russell Wilson. Wilson relied on his legs too much considering his drop off in athleticism. Rodgers also reads the field better, especially over the middle. And if the Steelers can get a consistent ground game going through Kaleb Johnson and Jaylen Warren, that will eat up plenty of time as well, giving the defense more time to rest.
Overall, the offense isn’t good enough to carry the team throughout the season. If the Steelers are going to win anything of importance, the defense will have a major hand in doing so. On the bright side, with Rodgers in the fold, they should be able to string more drives together. Long believes that will help the Steelers defense stay rested in the process.
