The Pittsburgh Steelers have completely turned their season around, and not in a good way. The group started the year off with a record of 4-1, and the collective is now 6-6 as November comes to a close. Any chances of making the playoffs are seriously in jeopardy, and the team doesn't seem like it can compete with most talented teams in the NFL. The unit added to the loss column on Sunday after an embarrassing loss to the Buffalo Bills (at home), where the final score was 26-7. The offense was stuck in mud for basically the entire game, and the defense was consistently gashed by Buffalo.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in East Rutherford, NJ.
Pittsburgh's defense played well in the first half as the group forced two turnovers while holding the Bills to just three points going into the break, but the wheels fell off in the second half.
The defense allowed the Bills to set records on the ground, and quarterback Josh Allen was able to make plays when he needed to. It was an embarrassing performance that earned plenty of boos from the home crowd, and star defender TJ Watt was speechless after the game while speaking to the media following the way his side of the ball performed.
"Play-making is what sets things off." Watt said. "Not making plays, it sucks. We need to find ways to be able to make plays. I mean I've never seen a team run the same play as much as [the Bills] ran it tonight and have as much success as they had. I mean, I'm out of words for it."
The play Watt is referencing was a run play that appeared to go to the right side between the guard and tackle, but running back James Cook would bounce it to the outside for an impressive gain. Pittsburgh stopped the play a handful of times, but Buffalo kept going back to it and found a ton of success.
Harrison Barden / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt lines up before the snap during a home game against the Buffalo Bills in 2025.
Buffalo had an impressive day on the ground as the team ran for a total of 249 yards, and the game had shades of Pittsburgh's postseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens at the end of the 2024 season. The defense could not do anything to stop the run as Cook himself had 144 yards on the ground. The Steelers allowed two rushers to have over 60 yards, and Allen added on to that with 38 yards and a score.
The Steelers have had run defense issues since the end of the 2024 season, and some weeks it seems like the group has fixed those problems. The defense played well against the run against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, but the group took a big step backwards on Sunday while hosting the Bills. Pittsburgh looks nothing like a playoff team currently, and that starts with the defense and the group's inability to stop the run. Players are not making plays, but the scheme is also at fault.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers' Safety DeShon Elliott tackling Ravens' Derrick Henry in the 2024 Wild Card round.
Steelers Need To Fix The Run Defense Quickly
Pittsburgh and Baltimore each have a record of 6-6 to lead the AFC North, while the Ravens hold the tie-breaker over the Steelers. The two teams will play for the first time in the 2025 season in Week 14, and Pittsburgh might be set up to be embarrassed again as the Ravens have a dangerous rushing attack.
Both Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are serious threats on the ground, and the defense is going to need to figure things out ahead of that matchup. The AFC North could slip away fast if things are not fixed, and not many members of the fan base have much faith that the coaching staff will be able to come up with a solution.
What did you think of Watt's comments after the loss? Let us know in the comments below!
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