Steelers' Darius Slay Sends Strong Message To Defensive Teammates

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw a mixed result defensively after their Week 3 win over the New England Patriots. While they lost a lot of possession downs and gave up chunk plays and long drives ad nauseum, they made the big plays when they needed to. They had five sacks, five turnovers, and a crucial fourth down stop on the final drive of the game for New England. There are definitely some things that need to be cleaned up, but it's great to see the playmakers making plays to save the game. 

While making an appearance on The Richard Sherman Podcast, new Steelers cornerback Darius Slay was asked about that exciting defensive performance with all those splash plays. He went ahead and pumped the breaks on the hype surrounding that game, as he was not impressed with how they played overall.

"We're putting it all together; of course, we still got a little bit left to fix," Slay said. "I been telling guys, ‘We can’t just be a splash defense.’ Right now, we are more of a splash defense. [The Patriots] have a complete defense. We’re waiting for a guy to make a splash play instead of dominating the whole game, not having long drives — we had too many long drives. We just got to get that nipped in the bud. Too many 4th and shorts that they could go for."

Slay has been around the league for 13 seasons, so he knows what an efficient defensive unit is supposed to look like. What Pittsburgh can't do is expect their opponent to continue coughing up the ball consistently, while also allowing too many total yards. The Steelers needed all five turnovers plus a turnover on downs just to win by one score. That is not sustainable, and they will obviously lose games if they try to replicate what they did in Foxborough, Massachusetts in Week 3.

It's all about doing the "routine things routinely," and the Steelers have not done that. There are still constant miscommunication issues, coverage breakdowns, and some tackling issues. They were just lucky that their opponent was also not fundamentally sound, specifically in blocking and ball security. They may not play another team as weak in those areas as the Patriots are.

Slay is showing the Steelers exactly why they signed him. He didn't come over to just be buddies with Head Coach Mike Tomlin and make some podcast appearances on a retirement tour. He has a high football IQ, and even if he has slowed down a bit, he can still help teach the younger defensive players about what it means to play winning football like what he played with the Philadelphia Eagles in recent years. 

The Steelers also made some personnel changes prior to Week 3 to help with certain issues. While it did aid in helping stop the Patriots' running game, that is only a symptom of the main disease. Benching players won't stop opposing offensives from abusing Pittsburgh in the middle of the field or taking advantage of confused defenders. There is a lot more work to be done.

Steelers' Defense Will Look To Continue Making Strides In Week 4 Overseas

Pittsburgh will have another difficult task in Week 4 for their international game against the Minnesota Vikings. This will be their first game overseas since 2013 when they traveled to London. Coincidentally, their opponent then was also the Vikings. Carson Wentz will be the man behind center this time around with JJ McCarthy still out due to injury in Minnesota. Coming off a big win against the Cincinnati Bengals, Wentz's veteran leadership could be another problem for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers' defense will look to take advantage of the backup quarterback and move to 3-1 before an early bye week in Week 5.

What do you think about Slay not being happy with the Steelers' five-turnover performance in Week 3? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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