The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty to correct following their 27-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns, but Ben Roethlisberger believes one of their biggest problems was also one of the most basic. Pittsburgh simply didn't tackle well enough. For a defense expected to be one of the strengths of Mike McCarthy's team, Roethlisberger couldn't overlook how frequently that issue showed up.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy stands alongside General Manager Omar Khan as the two watch the team practice during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
A lot was made about the lack of tackling in the offseason. Maybe that is showing up a little bit early in the 2026 season. Missed tackles can completely change the complexion of a defensive performance. A play that should result in a short gain suddenly moves the chains, while opportunities to get an offense off the field disappear when the first defender doesn't finish. Pittsburgh had enough problems against Cleveland without making life easier on the Browns through poor fundamentals.
Roethlisberger returned to the Steelers' performance during the latest episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, but his concern this time wasn't about offensive execution or what Aaron Rodgers could have done differently. The former Pittsburgh quarterback turned his attention directly toward the defense.
"But we couldn't tackle," Roethlisberger said. "I wrote that down because we can't tackle. We almost gave it away too. That game should not have been that close because towards the end of the game, Deshaun Watson has a throw to his left. The receiver is wide open. He's wide open, and he missed him. Listen, I have missed throws, I know that, but he just had to lay it out there and the game is over. The Browns gave the Steelers every opportunity to win this game."
That assessment paints Pittsburgh's late comeback attempt in a different light. The Steelers certainly deserve credit for remaining within striking distance and giving themselves an opportunity in the final seconds. Roethlisberger's problem is that Cleveland had opportunities to make sure Pittsburgh never got that chance in the first place.
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Quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson meet after a Thursday night game in 2026.
Watson's miss was the clearest example. Roethlisberger wasn't attacking Watson for missing a throw, either. He immediately acknowledged that he missed plenty during his own career. His larger point was what that mistake meant for Pittsburgh. The Steelers were fortunate to still have life.
Cleveland had an opportunity to potentially put Pittsburgh away and didn't capitalize. That allowed Rodgers and the offense to remain within one possession and eventually receive another chance to steal a game that Roethlisberger didn't believe should have been that close.
Pittsburgh can't consistently depend on opposing quarterbacks missing open receivers or offenses failing to capitalize on chances to finish games. Eventually, those mistakes won't come.
Steelers' Tackling Problem Needs Immediate Attention
Roethlisberger's frustration is particularly notable because tackling isn't some complicated schematic issue requiring Pittsburgh to completely redesign its defense. Players have to get to the football and finish plays when they arrive. That sounds simple until it repeatedly doesn't happen.
Poor tackling can make every other defensive problem look worse. A missed assignment becomes more damaging when nobody cleans it up. A completed pass becomes a significantly larger gain when the first defender fails to bring the receiver down. Even correctly diagnosed plays can become successful for the offense when Pittsburgh doesn't finish.
Roethlisberger clearly believes the Steelers left too much of that on the field against Cleveland. His comments also add another layer to how Pittsburgh should evaluate the three-point final margin. A close score can create the impression that the Steelers were only one play away from winning, and technically, they were. Pittsburgh had possession with an opportunity to tie or potentially win late.
Roethlisberger saw something different underneath that final score. He saw a Browns team that provided Pittsburgh with chances to survive. That's a dangerous way to live in the NFL.
Pittsburgh's defense has enough talent that it shouldn't need opposing offenses to provide those openings. The Steelers need to become the group forcing mistakes, ending possessions and making opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable.
How concerned are you about the Steelers' tackling? Follow me on X @anthonyghalkias and let Steeler Nation know.
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