The Pittsburgh Steelers defense was touted as an elite unit that would carry the team in 2022 as they figured out the direction the new offense would go during the current season. In nearly four quarters in the opener with a mostly healthy unit, Steelers fans saw exactly what that was going to look like as they dominated the defending AFC champion, Cincinnati Bengals, until T.J. Watt got hurt late in the game.
CBS Sports
Heading into the Week 2 matchup at home against the New England Patriots, the attention was laser focused on Mike Tomlin and Brian Flores who would be responsible for devising the sans T.J. Watt plan on defense. Neither of those men are the defensive coordinator for the Steelers. Teryl Austin calls the defense and considering he has had to devise plans without his best player and a rotating cast of characters in the secondary, the Steelers defense has not been the problem in 2022.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
The Buffalo Bills were a far superior team to the Steelers this season and with the exception of that game, the Steelers defense has provided its offense with good enough play to win games. Austin has done a fine job with a patchwork unit. He fielded several questions from the media Thursday about his defense:
“I think it’s more the way things have played out,” Austin said when asked about the more passive defensive approach this season. “Obviously, we’ve had some injuries in the secondary. You lose some guys and maybe you don’t want to expose them as much. We had to mix up and maybe change up and so things a little bit differently than we normally do. If the situation calls for it, we’ve got to be able to get after people and blitz them.”
The Steelers defense has long held the nickname "Blitzburgh," but the defense was not known for exotic blitzing prior to the Bill Cowher and Dick LeBeau assembly in 1992. Despite continuing to play the 3-4 and the emergence of Watt, the Steelers have blitzed less and less over the last few seasons. They have not abandoned the concept, but when you can rush four and occasionally blitz five and still lead the NFL in sacks, it improves your defense immeasurably.
Since his arrival in 2019 as a defensive backs coach, the Steelers have become a very opportunistic defense. It is not a coincidence Austin learned some hard career lessons prior to his arrival in Pittsburgh. The Steelers had major issues dropping interceptions in the South Florida rain on Sunday night and the defensive coordinator wasn't shy about calling out the secondary during his weekly press conference as reported by Josh Rowntree from KDKA 93.7 The Fan:
Teryl Austin on dropped interceptions Sunday vs Miami: "Complaining about it, bitching about it, doesn't fix it. What fixes it? Doing stuff in practice, doing stuff out here on the field to help you catch them all." #Steelers @937theFan
— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) October 27, 2022
Austin did not mince words and the reports from practice are that the defensive coordinator has had his defensive backs working heavily on the jugs machine. The machine simulates thrown balls and can be adjusted to multiple speeds and angles forcing the secondary players to catch a variety of simulated passes. Austin is well liked by his players and quotes like the ones above have a lot to do with his popularity among his players. He didn't call out anyone by name and isn't interested in rehashing what ifs.
Kenny Pickett (8) elects to keep the ball on an RPO against the New York Jets. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
The emergence of RPO’s in today’s NFL and mobile quarterbacks has created a need for a new defensive philosophy that is a hybrid of Blitzburgh and dropping seven defenders into coverage. The defense also has befuddled the likes of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen (until this season). The pair of 2018 draft picks, who are as dangerous with their arms as they are their feet, might be the two best mobile QB's in the NFL. Austin spoke about this week’s opponent, the fleet footed Jalen Hurts and his ability to execute the RPO:
“He [Hurts] makes it tough,” Austin mused on the Eagles quarterback. “There are quarterbacks who have done that in the past. Not necessarily the style, but the way he throws with accuracy and makes good decisions. I think with a mobile quarterback, you have to pick your spots. If he gets outside or finds a seam, it becomes a huge play.”
Hurts has broken out in 2022 fulfilling the flashes of potential he has demonstrated since taking over as the leader of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has improved dramatically as a passer with the arrival of Diontae Johnson’s classmate, A.J. Brown. The Eagles have the team’s best wide receiver since Terrell Owens was arguing with Donovan McNabb. His ability as a passer and runner has opened lanes for a very underrated NFL running back, Miles Sanders.
“He’s a good back,” Austin continued. "He really has gotten a ton better since we played them a few years ago. He runs behind his pads, finds the hole, and gets downhill. He is a really good NFL back.”
Steelers.com
The Steelers will have their hands full on Sunday in Philadelphia when they face the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. The Steelers have not beaten the Eagles in Philadelphia in the Super Bowl era. The Eagles lead the all-time series 48-29-3. The last road victory for the black and gold in Philadelphia was led by the Steelers Hall of Famers Bobby Layne, John Henry Johnson, Ernie Stautner, and the legend himself, "Big Daddy" Eugene Lipscomb on December 9th, 1962. If nothing else, the Steelers are certainly due.
Pittsburgh is facing a tall task with their season on the line. The offense has struggled and unless Kenny Pickett pays an Uber driver to take Matt Canada to the New England Patriots vs New York Jets game, it is going to come down to the defense on Sunday. Austin has pulled off great game plans against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins and fans of the black and gold must hope he was one more trick up his sleeve on Sunday.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Austin the man with the plan to break an embarrassingly long streak against the Eagles? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
