Nobody would blame you if you think the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is doomed after the first two games of the 2025 season. But there is still plenty of time to turn things around. Just ask Darius Slay and the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles.
“I told ’em, ‘I ain’t gonna bring up my last year team.’ ‘Cause Philly, we had the same type of schedule. And we started off the same way 1-1. We wasn’t feeling like we living up to the Philly standard,” Slay said of veteran defenders talking in the locker room Sunday after the Steelers’ disappointing loss to the Seahawks via The Richard Sherman Podcast.”And next think you know we turn around after the bye week, number one defense in the league, Super Bowl champion. So I told them, ‘Man, keep our composure and let’s be detailed.'”
Last year, Philadelphia fans were calling for HC Nick Sirianni’s job after the first four games. The Eagles started 2-2 and their defense allowed 365.8 yards and 24 points per game. The Steelers have very similar averages through two weeks. The Eagles allowed over 100 rushing yards in four of their first five games before holding teams below that mark for six-straight games last season.
It’s not impossible for a team to turn things around after a shaky start. With limited practices and a condensed preseason, the first few games of the year are sloppy and unpredictable for many teams.
If there’s a silver lining for the Steelers’ defense, it’s that they face four very beatable teams coming up with two games against backup quarterbacks in Cincinnati and Minnesota. They have a real opportunity to find their groove over the next month before they enter a difficult portion of their schedule. And reinforcements are on the way with DeShon Elliott, Derrick Harmon, and Joey Porter Jr. soon to return from injury.
The players sound like a broken record after two tough games on defense. They have almost unanimously pointed to playing assignment-sound football and not trying to do too much. If one player chases a tackle and leaves a gap wide open that can turn a three-yard gain into an explosive play.
“Everybody just need to accept their role off what they role are,” Slay said. “Everybody wanna outperform something so they can get paid. I said, ‘What y’all don’t know is when you win games, you go to playoffs, you get into championship games. People come get winning cultures and they will pay for it.’ So that’s what I’m trying to sell folks.”
There’s too much talent on Pittsburgh’s defense for it to be one of the worst in the league. The Steelers may not turn into the No. 1 defense like the Eagles did last year, but things will improve. Just give it time.
