Forcing five turnovers and holding the offense to just 14 points should constitute as a great day for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.
But for linebacker Patrick Queen, it’s not satisfying.
The Steelers forced five turnovers and held the New England Patriots to just 14 points Sunday in Foxboro, holding on to win late thanks to a fourth-down stop to pick up a much-needed 21-14 win and snap a 16-year drought in Foxboro.
Despite the strong numbers in the turnover department and the points allowed, the Steelers defense allowed 369 yards of total offense and 26 total first downs as the Patriots possessed the ball for 33 minutes and 20 seconds.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Queen called it a good step in the right direction for the highest-paid defense in the NFL, one that has been much maligned in recent weeks. But there’s another level to the defense entirely that Pittsburgh needs to strive to reach.
“I think it’s just every single thing. Communication, tackling, covering, zone drops, whatever it may be,” Queen said to reporters of what the defense needs to improve, according to video via Mark Kaboly on X. “Blitzing, pass containment, taking quarterback attainment. I think every single thing that you could see on the defense, I think we’ve got another notch to it. And I’m not one to cover up anything. I think that’s the truth.
“So we just gotta go out there. We did better today. I think it’s, like I said, another level. So we just go out there to practice this week, get better at those things and come back.”
Communication remains an issue for the Steelers on defense. The Patriots exploited that time and time again, particularly in the middle of the field Sunday. It left tight end Hunter Henry wide open for both Patriots touchdowns Sunday inside Gillette Stadium.
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There were even some issues with quarterback containment on some Drake Maye scrambles, and missed tackles were concerning, too.
But the Steelers ultimately got the job done when it mattered most, getting a stop on the final drive and sealing the win with a crucial tackle from veteran cornerback Brandin Echols. The turnovers are great, but you can’t be relying on five takeaways, including two inside the 5-yard line, each and every week.
So, the Steelers need to be better. They have to clean up the third-and-longs that the Patriots had a ton of success on, and they need to find a way to get off the field on fourth downs, too, allowing the Patriots to go 4-for-5 on the day.
Still, the defense showed progress Sunday, and that’s the important part. Now, it’s time to prepare for the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin in Week 4, before a much-needed bye week to regroup and potentially get some guys healthy.
