Back-to-back ugly performances from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ highly compensated defense has many fans and in the media wanting major changes on that side of the football.
Whether it’s personnel or coaching staff, some changes need made. Head coach Mike Tomlin seemed open to scheme and personnel changes Sunday night after the Steelers’ 35-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
But on Tuesday Tomlin shot down any potential coaching staff or play-calling changes on the defensive side of the football.
“No, that’s not on the table as we sit here today. We just gotta keep doing what we’re doing, and do it better,” Tomlin said, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page.Â
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has come under fire in recent weeks due to the defense’s struggles. Pittsburgh allowed 28 second-half points to the Green Bay Packers one week after getting shredded through the air by the 40-year-old Joe Flacco and the Bengals offense.
Despite knowing that Ja’Marr Chase was going to be the primary weapon in Week 7, the Steelers still allowed 23 targets and a franchise-record 16 receptions to Chase in a 33-31 loss. Then, the Steelers allowed Jordan Love to tie a Packers record of 20 straight completions Sunday night.
There were no stops by the Steelers, no sacks, no truly game-altering plays made by the defense. It’s all become very stagnant.
Scheme, effort, and the defensive play caller have come into question. Of course, this is Tomlin’s defense. He reportedly is in charge of it. Though he doesn’t call plays, he reportedly gives the directive to Austin and the coaching staff on what he wants and how he wants it done.
So, it’s obvious to wonder if he could take over the play-calling duties defensively, something he hasn’t done since his season as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator before being hired as head coach of the Steelers.
Those changes aren’t on the table, though. Maybe they will be if the defense continues to play as poorly as it has. It isn’t just play-calling duties, either. Tomlin also isn’t going to be making any changes to the scheme. Instead, it’s all about the little details where the Steelers have been lacking.
“We need to be better in third down than we’ve been, but it necessarily doesn’t mean dramatic changes in schematics and things of that nature,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers do need to be better on third downs, as they third and longs the Packers converted Sunday night really helped changed the complexion of the game. But what if the details are just bad for today’s NFL?
Players, coaches and now Tomlin talk about the details and doing the little things right, but what if that’s not the only problem? What if the scheme needs altered to fit the personnel they have? The Steelers want to play a lot of man coverage, but don’t have the players on the back end to hold up consistently in man.
It’s all a mess right now, and there needs to be a bit more urgency than talk about details.
That doesn’t seem to be on the table. At least right now.
