The Steelers have made strides in recent weeks, particularly on defense, but for Chris Hoke, there’s one area where they’re really lacking. Throughout the first month of the season, communication lapses have plagued the unit at times. Last Sunday, they allowed an 81-yard catch and run that by rights should have gone for six. And that was purely because they didn’t communicate in the necessary manner—no other reason.
“There should be no communication [issues]. Everybody should be on the same page’, Hoke insisted while discussing the Steelers on 93.7 The Fan. “It’s happening far too often, where the Steelers defense, not everybody’s on the same page. They’re not running the same defense. If there’s one thing that the Steelers need to work on this bye week, it’s communication. It’s everybody getting on the same page. Everybody running the same defense. It’s happening too much”.
Of course, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin promised the team a “sweet bye week” if it won. After a bit of work to start the week, the players have had the rest of the week off. But they’ll have a “bonus” day of work on Monday, and then we’re on to Cincinnati Cleveland.
On the aforementioned play from the last game, Steelers DC Teryl Austin took the fall for the lapse on defense. By that point in the game, they were already down multiple defensive backs, playing a nickel with three safeties. Not that that should be an excuse for a failure to communicate properly, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
The Steelers’ communication issues on defense, of course, go back to last season. Even though much has changed since then, some of the same issues are reoccurring. Earlier this year, S Juan Thornhill cited growth needed in non-verbal communication to combat crowd noise.
Hoke also talked about non-verbal communication and how that’s something the team went over constantly. He talked about former Steelers DC Keith Butler spending a half an hour on that with the defense before games. While he admittedly has no inside knowledge about what they’re doing now, the communication issues are what sticks out.
Not that they hadn’t worked on it. During training camp, the Steelers defense seemed to feel the problems of yesterday would not be repeated. It never quite works out that way, though, I’m afraid. And when they don’t, you better have a crazy athletic football junkie to cover your butts.
