The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a frustrating start to the 2025 NFL season. The team has a 1-1 record, so things could be worse, but there isn't a ton of hope for the remainder of the year. The defense is supposed to be the backbone of the franchise, and it was expected to be one of the better units in the NFL going into the year. Lofty expectations often set fans up for disappointment, and that is exactly what has happened in Pittsburgh as the defensive unit has been one of the worst in the NFL, while also being the highest-paid unit in the league.
%202023%20Camp%20Final%20with%20Logos/2L9A9316-544x306.jpg "Steelers Teryl Austin")
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Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin walks on the field at St. Vincent College as the team practices during 2023 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin has been under fire since the 2025 season began. Pittsburgh gave up 32 points on defense in Week 1 against the New York Jets, and then 24 points to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Neither offense Pittsburgh faced is very highly regarded, which is worrisome considering the teams the Steelers have to face off against later in the year.
Austin spoke to the media on Thursday, and he was asked about his strategy and how often his group utilizes the blitz.
"It almost doesn't do much for us," Austin said. "It almost gets them first downs. But I did think that some of the execution of our pressures up front were really good, we got what we wanted. We were able to get in and get some hits on the quarterback. Just, we need pressure, coverage, all that stuff, it has to work together. Right now we are just a little bit off in that area."
Currently, Pittsburgh is in the top three of the NFL in terms of how often the defense blitzes. Fans can probably expect that number to decrease as Austin has noticed it does not do much for the defense, and his group has not executed well in that area. However, he did like what he saw from some of the defensive line play in Week 2 as the group was able to pressure the quarterback more and disrupt throws.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers superstar pass rusher TJ Watt talks with longtime defensive leader Cam Heyward during training camp.
Pittsburgh utilizes a blitz on 41 percent of its defensive snaps. This should typically lead to more sacks, quarterback hits, and pressures. The issue is the Steelers only have 27 pressures and three sacks through two games. 27 pressures puts the team exactly at the halfway point in the NFL, which is not good considering how often they blitz.
The Steelers could blitz less, which should help the rest of the defense out in coverage. However Pittsburgh's attempt to utilize the blitz is not working. The team's opponents have an average time to throw of 3.04 seconds, which is the third longest in the league. That can't happen with how often the defense is bringing extra defenders, so Austin needs to adopt a new defensive strategy.
Steelers' Teryl Austin Needs To Turn Defense Around Quickly
Austin is probably coaching for his job right now. Pittsburgh showed it is willing to fire a coordinator halfway through the season when the team did it to Matt Canada in the middle of the 2023 season, so that means they could do it again. The defense is wasting star-power, and there are far too many resources poured into that side of the ball.
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Steelers' Teryl Austin speaks to members of the media during the 2024 NFL season.
The group has to perform. It does not have to be the best in the league in every category, but it can't be in the bottom half of the league in every statistic that matters. Some of the issues fall on the players, but Austin needs to change game plans so that he is putting his stars in the best situations to succeed.
What do you think about Austin's comments on the defense so far? Let us know in the comments below!
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