Steelers' Teryl Austin Gives His Reasoning For Concerning 3rd And Long Failure

The Pittsburgh Steelers may be 2-1 entering their contest in Ireland, but that is not stopping everyone from voicing their concerns with this team. For starters, the defense has been over-reliant on splash plays, as it has been unable to just win the individual battles. The unit keeps giving up chunk plays as players keep looking confused. Communication errors have been at the forefront of these conversations, as that issue appears unfixed, even though that was the biggest complaint after Pittsburgh's major collapse in 2024. 

However, Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin does not think that is the problem. During his press conference on Thursday, he explained what he thinks is the main issue with his unit on 3rd and long situations in particular. 

It's difficult to stay close to a receiver when the play-calling revolves around a seemingly confusing soft zone scheme. If Austin wants his receivers to be closer in coverage, then the play should likely be some sort of press man concept. That way, the cornerbacks are instructed to be all over the opposing wideout as soon as the play begins.

Whenever the Steelers do go into a soft shell, it is very rare that it gets executed well. The defense is primarily built for press coverage anyways, so it does not make sense to constantly have them line up 8-10 yards off the ball. While that does usually make sense on 3rd downs, it clearly does not work for Pittsburgh, and it hasn't for years. They may be better off playing aggressively, as opposed to trying to tackle someone before they reach the first down marker.

Of course, as many have reported over the years, Austin does not actually run the defense. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been suggested numerous times as the one calling the shots on that side of the ball. That means Tomlin will likely continue wanting his soft zone schemes being run at certain points throughout each game, even though Austin said the players need to be closer in coverage.

There have still been obvious miscommunication issues on the defense as well. Maybe it has not been on 3rd and long specifically, but it's still been there. Primarily, linebacker Payton Wilson has either taken the wrong assignment or looked confused on multiple plays during their Week 3 win. In Week 2, it was the defensive backs that kept getting put in the wrong place while leaving guys wide open. 

Even if communication issues have not happened on those specific 3rd down plays, they still need to be addressed. The Steelers promised to do everything they can to get rid of those during the offseason, and they have not lived up to that at all. At the end of the day, there are so many concerning issues on the defensive side of the ball, and it's hard to downplay any of them.

Steelers Will Get Punished In Week 4 If They Don't Clean Up

Unlike their opponents in their two wins, the Minnesota Vikings are a fundamentally sound team all across the board. That's what happens when you have one of the best coaching staffs in the league. If the Steelers play the same type of defense they did in Week 3, they won't be able to get all the splash plays that the previously did. Minnesota can hold on to the ball and game-manage their way to a victory if needed.

What do you think about Austin's assessment of the defensive issues on 3rd and long? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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