The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their second game in a row on Sunday night as the team fell to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 35-25. Pittsburgh had command early on in the contest as they went into halftime with a nine-point lead, but things spiraled out of control in the second half. It was another embarrassing performance by the defense, and the offense did not have enough fire power to keep the game closer late in the matchup.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin during a regular season game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in East Rutherford, NJ.
The defense has been a disappointment for Pittsburgh throughout the 2025 season. The unit is not playing anywhere near its expectations, and opposing offenses are able to get what they want at will when playing the Steelers. It's an unfortunate occurrence for Steelers fans to watch week in and week out, but it has become a common theme ever since the end of the 2024 regular season.
Veteran defender Cam Heyward spoke to the media after the game against the Packers, and he shared a message for the locker room.
"It's always got to be, 'How can I affect the next play?'" Heyward said. "You've got to let what happened before go. That's just how this game works. If you continue to feel sorry for yourself, it's going to avalanche. And this was a clear case of that."
Pittsburgh's defense was looking to put up a strong performance against the Packers as the group virtually lost the game for the Steelers in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. As mentioned, the first half was somewhat pleasing, before things really started to unravel.
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Steelers' Cam Heyward stands beside TJ Watt while watching a training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Heyward seems to think there were some players on the defensive side of the ball that began to feel sorry for themselves. This probably happened in the second half as the Packers' offense dominated the game from there on out.
Pittsburgh's defense at least seemed to take a step in the right direction as the group was able to defend the run a lot better than it had against Cincinnati, but the group got torched through the air again. At a certain point in the second half, it looked like Packers quarterback Jordan Love was just playing catch with his wide receivers. Everything was coming easy as coverages were blown and there was visible confusion from the defensive side of the ball for Pittsburgh on multiple drives.
Something needs to change with the way that the Steelers have been defending the pass, because far too often, assignments are blown and weapons are left uncovered on the field. The pass rush needs to be better, linebackers must do a better job with the underneath routes, and the defensive backfield simply has to be able to cover. The coaching staff also needs to be cognizant of putting players in position to succeed, and making sure the Steelers are not getting out-schemed by any opposing offense.
Steelers' Defense Will Have A Hard Time Bouncing Back In Week 9
The Steelers will be hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9, which is going to be the toughest test of the year for the defense. The Colts are the hottest team in the NFL and currently have the best record in the league. Their offense is extremely potent as the group is first in the NFL when it comes to points and yards. Pittsburgh is going to have to be able to stop both the run and the pass during the matchup, and this is a game that Pittsburgh is going to be expected to lose.
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Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Shane Steichen.
A loss to the Colts would drop Pittsburgh to 4-4, which would be extremely disappointing after starting the year 4-1. There's no better way to win back over the fan base however, than to beat the No. 1 team in the AFC at home.
What do you think about Heyward's message after the game? Let us know in the comments below!
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