The Pittsburgh Steelers got back on the right track in Week 5 as the team was able to take down the Indianapolis Colts at home. The Steelers are now 3-0 in games that are played at Acrisure Stadium this season, but the team is going through a troubling trend where the results of games are just flipping every week. The Steelers have been alternating wins and losses for five weeks now, which isn't good in the NFL as it is extremely important to stack wins. Pittsburgh will look to do that in Week 6, but the secondary is going to be something to pay close attention to.
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Steelers captain Cam Heyward (left) and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham (right) during 2026 training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Pittsburgh got the win on Sunday, but the secondary was frustrating to watch throughout the game. The Colts had wide open receivers down the field all game long, and at times it almost looked like the Steelers were deliberately leaving players open. Pittsburgh played a lot of zone, which has always been a problem for this defense. The cornerbacks play off coverage in zone which leaves open a ton of easy completions underneath, which in turn neutralizes the pass rush.
A frustrated fan took to social media to ask beat writer Nick Farabaugh if he would be able to ask one of the coaches why the defense plays so much zone if it is so bad at it, and his response exposed a legitimate problem for the Steelers.
"I could certainly ask it, but y'all probably know the answer (they don't trust the secondary in M2M)," Farabaugh wrote in response.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy and Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham clearly do not trust the current version of the Steelers secondary to play man to man, which makes the defense one dimensional. That is a huge issue, although it is exactly what Graham has always said he was going to do. The coordinator does not have a defensive signature, instead he adapts his defense to the strength of the players on the field. In this case, that is not man coverage.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham (left) stands on the field and speaks with head coach Mike McCarthy as the two watch players workout during 2026 rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh, PA.
Pittsburgh's secondary is banged up, and the depth just isn't there to trust the unit to play a lot of man to man coverage. Jamel Dean is missing time due to a sprained ankle, and the team is still recovering from trading Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys. The franchise scrambled to sign some cornerbacks from around the league off of practice squads, but those players don't really move the needle at all.
The Steelers have been leaning on zone as it is more forgiving if there are major mistakes made, which is completely understandable. It is harder for the opposing offense to find big shots down the field when playing against zone coverage. However, more man coverage has to be mixed in. The strength of the defense is the pass rush, and it needs a chance to get home. Mixing in more man to man may allow that to happen while also keeping the unit less predictable overall.
Steelers Coaching Staff Can't Be Blamed For Lack Of Trust
Pittsburgh's starting cornerbacks on Sunday were Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette. It would be hard to trust that duo to play man to man coverage alongside a beat up safety room. However, the Colts were the team to do it against. Indianapolis has been missing its best wide receiver in Alec Pierce, and the only other true threat at the position on that team would be Josh Downs. The Steelers should have run some more man coverage just to see how it would go.
The Steelers' secondary will have a tougher challenge as the team will travel to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Ted Hurst III will be tougher covers than what the Steelers have faced as of late.
What do you think about the coaching staff not trusting the secondary? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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