The Pittsburgh Steelers started the 2025 season off on a great note, but things have quickly spiraled. The team is riding a two-game losing streak and currently has a record of 4-3. There is a good chance that losing streak will continue as Pittsburgh is preparing to take on arguably the best team in the NFL on Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts will be coming to Acrisure Stadium. This will be a tough challenge for Pittsburgh, and if the defense plays the way it did the past two weeks, the Steelers will have absolutely no chance of winning this game.
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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.
Pittsburgh's defense has been the most disappointing part of the team by far throughout the 2025 season. The organization has invested so much on that side of the ball and the talent is endless, but it seems like players are constantly out of position and failing to make plays. The coaching staff has been under fire for some of the schematic decisions, which means Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin has been taking a lot of flack. Head Coach Mike Tomlin is also responsible for the defense, which Austin spoke about during his press conference on Thursday.
Teryl Austin on the collaborative process with Mike Tomlin re: the defense: "Mike has always been involved. Nothing's changed in that regard."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 30, 2025
The fact that both of Pittsburgh's top defensive coaches are involved in making the game plan every week is no secret, but it is disappointing considering how often the game plan crumbles on Sundays. For instance, Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when going against the blitz. Tomlin and Austin decided this would be the perfect week to use Pittsburgh's highest blitz percentage of the year, and that went as expected.
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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.
Controversial coaching decisions have become a common theme in Pittsburgh over the last several years. Pittsburgh has gotten gashed through the air in 2025, and the coaching staff is seemingly not doing anything to help the team when it comes to play-calling and game planning.
Austin also spoke about play-calling in games, and he shared that Tomlin steps in when he wants.
Steelers DC Teryl Austin says the in-game defensive playcalling is the same that it's always been as long as he's been the DC: "I'm calling it, and if Mike wants to call it, he calls it. That's how we roll."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 30, 2025
The defense has been so atrocious in 2025 that it seems like nothing is going to fix it. If the defense stays the same or gets worse, then there is no reason Tomlin should still be apart of the organization. Changes need to be made as this organization is heading in the wrong direction, and Tomlin is always at the center of that. Bad hires and poor coaching have plagued Pittsburgh during the 2020s.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) smiles while spinning the football on his fingers ahead of a contest in the 2025 NFL season.
Steelers' Defense Likely To Get Exposed Once Again On Sunday
The Steelers can't feel good going into their next matchup with the Colts. Indianapolis has one of the best and most efficient offenses in the league, and they seem to be able to score at will. They are led by a strong running game with Jonathan Taylor, while Daniel Jones has been excellent throwing the football. Pittsburgh's defense is likely to struggle once again, as it could be one of those games where the group can't stop a nosebleed. Hopefully for Steelers fans, their recent new additions can help.
What do you think about Tomlin's involvement in the defense? Let us know in the comments below!
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