The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday night by a score of 35-25. While the majority of headlines surrounded Aaron Rodgers, who performed admirably against his former team, Green Bay ultimately took advantage of a weak Pittsburgh defense. Head Coach Mike Tomlin's defense allowed over 450 total yards and 30+ points for the second consecutive week. This all came after the defense had 10 days to prepare for opposing quarterback Jordan Love and co. What was especially brutal for Steelers fans to witness was the injury of Steelers safety DeShon Elliott, who was carted off in the second half with a knee injury.
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Steelers safety DeShon Elliott (25) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Elliott, who is fresh off an extension from the 2025 offseason, has started in five games. During his postgame press conference, Steelers Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen spoke about the loss of Elliott.
"It hurt. DeShon's a one-of-a-kind player. We know what he brings to this defense," Queen said. "It definitely hurt. We got emotional about it."
Along with TJ Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, and Darius Slay, Elliott has been in the league for at least eight seasons. His experience, especially in the AFC North, has helped him earn his stripes on this defense in the Steel City. His loss, especially if it is a long-term knee injury, could be another big blow to an already ineffective defense. Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin's unit has now surrendered 30 or more points in four of the team's first seven games.
Even Rodgers, the four-time MVP, Super Bowl champion, and future first-ballot Hall of Fame signal-caller, hasn't been able to hide the defense's issues. Time can only tell if Tomlin and Austin have a plan in place for how to solve their defensive woes before things really get out of hand.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin roams the practice field as his team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers Will Have Their Chance to Improve
The good news for the Steelers is that, as bad as they have played through almost the first half of the season on defense, they will have their chance to improve starting in Week 9. After failing to stop the only one-loss team in the NFC in primetime on Sunday night, Pittsburgh will welcome in the only one-loss team in the AFC next. That would be the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are the top offense in football as they lead the league in total yards per game (385.3).
After Tomlin and co. face Indianapolis, they will have to travel out West to face Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Bolts are currently the ranked fourth in total offense in the NFL (378.5 yards per game). Then, the Cincinnati Bengals, who beat the Steelers two Thursdays ago, will come to Pittsburgh for the right to possibly take over the top spot in the division.
Ben McShane / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers, and Cam Heyward walk off the field in Ireland after a victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
Everything is still out in front for this veteran-heavy Steelers team, especially if Rodgers continues to play the way that he is playing. After all, he is on pace to throw for nearly 40 touchdowns. However, the defense is currently ranked 30th in terms of total defense (386.0 yards allowed per game). That is not going to get it done, especially with all of the talented quarterbacks in the AFC.
The loss of Elliott at safety will certainly not help if it happens to be a long-term injury, but at the end of the day, the NFL is a week-to-week league. The trends and the narratives can all change in a flash. What if the Steelers found a way to beat the Colts next week? The momentum could really start to swing in their favor. However, for that to happen, the defense must take a step forward.
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