The Pittsburgh Steelers raved about their defense prior to the start of the season. They believed that unit had the chance to do great things. Unfortunately, it hasn’t met those expectations. The Steelers’ defense was awful to start the year, getting pushed around by the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks. However, since then, it’s gradually improved, including a solid Week 6 showing against the Cleveland Browns. DeShon Elliott believes the Steelers will eventually meet the high expectations they set for their defense.
“When we are a physical defense, we can’t be stopped,” Elliott said Sunday after the Steelers’ 23-9 win at Acrisure Stadium according to 93.7 The Fan on Twitter. “Right now, we aren’t a top-five defense, but we will be by the end of the season.”
Going into Week 6, the Steelers had the NFL’s 28th-ranked total defense, according to FOX Sports., allowing an average of 382.5 yards per game.
They should rise in those rankings, though. The Steelers’ defense manhandled the Browns, holding them to 248 total yards. Specifically, that unit had a much better day against the run. That was one of the Steelers’ biggest weaknesses to start the year, and the Browns’ rushing attack had been doing alright. However, against Pittsburgh, Cleveland was held to only 65 total rushing yards.
The Steelers’ defense could’ve had an even better day, too. A handful of players had opportunities to intercept passes. However, none of them could secure the ball. Had they produced those takeaways, the Steelers could’ve smothered the Browns even more.
Also, Elliott might want to pump the brakes on the talk about the Steelers’ defense being one of the league’s best. The team shouldn’t be thinking about the end of the season. Pittsburgh should be focused on who it is playing next.
Their defense’s best performances this season have come against the Minnesota Vikings with their backup quarterback and the Browns. Those aren’t stellar offenses. The Steelers’ defense has plenty of tougher tests coming up. No one on the team should be talking about that unit doing historic things. The Steelers have a long way to climb to even be a top-10 defense.
Ultimately, wins are what matter the most. If the Steelers’ defense plays to its potential, then the team should win more games. However, Pittsburgh has already won games this year despite its defense playing poorly. It’s nice to see the defense improving, but it still has plenty to clean up.
