The Pittsburgh Steelers walked out of Paris with the kind of defensive stat that usually gets coaches smiling through their entire postgame press conference. Their opponent could barely move the football in one particular area, and the scoreboard suggested the afternoon had gone according to plan. However, one former Steelers star wasn't buying the celebration. He looked at the same numbers and saw something that could become considerably more expensive when January arrives.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy on the sidelines against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter of a game at Stade de France Stadium in Week 7.
Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison delivered a serious warning about Pittsburgh's playoff ceiling following Sunday's 16-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Despite allowing just 18 rushing yards on 17 attempts, Harrison believes defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has a passing defense that isn't remotely ready to carry the Steelers through a deep postseason run.
The contradiction is difficult to ignore. New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough completed 30 of 38 passes for 278 yards, finishing with a 78.9% completion rate. The Saints also converted six of 12 third downs and both fourth-down attempts. For a team that couldn't run the ball, New Orleans certainly found enough ways to keep Pittsburgh's defense working.
During Monday's Deebo & Joe episode, Harrison explained why those passing numbers bothered him far more than the impressive work against the run encouraged him.
“But we have to figure out our pass defense. Period. It is not where we want it to be, where we need it to be, where it's going to be, where it [needs] to push deep into the playoffs. Joe, that is not happening, man. We can't allow that high of a pass completion rate, man. That's for sure,” Harrison said.
Harrison isn't interested in congratulating a defense for eliminating one dimension of an offense while allowing the other to operate with relative comfort. A quarterback completing nearly four out of every five passes is concerning enough. Doing it when his running backs can't generate meaningful yardage makes the situation considerably more frustrating.
The Saints finished with 15 passing first downs compared to just three on the ground. Pittsburgh repeatedly forced Shough to move the chains through the air, and he kept finding answers. The Steelers eventually prevented those possessions from becoming touchdowns, but relying on opponents to waste promising drives isn't exactly a championship blueprint.
Former Steelers cornerback Joe Haden raised similar concerns during the same show. He criticized Pittsburgh's defensive backs for allowing predictable hitch and slant routes near the first-down marker. His complaint centered on anticipation: defenders were too willing to allow short catches and attempt tackles after receivers had already secured enough yardage.
That approach can become especially frustrating on third-and-4. A defender might technically prevent an explosive play by sitting deeper, but allowing an easy six-yard completion still accomplishes exactly what the offense wants. Pittsburgh can celebrate limiting deep shots all afternoon. The opposing quarterback will happily keep taking first downs.
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Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (8) and Jalen Ramsey (5) celebrate a big play in Paris, France against the Saints in October 2026.
Harrison returned to the unusual rushing statistics later in the show, making an argument that put even more pressure on Graham's coverage strategy.
“18 yards rushing is no way this game should have been as close as it was because you stopping the rush like that, that means I can concentrate on the pass. You telling me we stopping the rush at 18 and we still can't concentrate on the pass and get it slowed down and kill this high passer completion [rate],” Harrison said.
That's the criticism Graham should take seriously. When an opponent demonstrates it cannot establish a ground attack, the defensive coordinator gains opportunities to anticipate passing situations. Pittsburgh had plenty of them Sunday. The Saints still moved the chains often enough to keep a game decided by six points uncomfortable.
Graham has already faced criticism over his defensive approach, particularly regarding predictable coverage and questions about whether Pittsburgh is maximizing its personnel. Sunday's performance gave the staff evidence that the front can dominate. The secondary's results offered a much less convincing argument that everything behind it is functioning properly.
Veteran Jalen Ramsey headlines a defensive backfield with enough experience to recognize common route concepts. Pittsburgh also has talented linebackers capable of disrupting passing lanes underneath. The staff must find ways to make quarterbacks hesitate without exposing the secondary to unnecessary deep shots. Simply telling every cornerback to jump the next hitch would be a pretty efficient way to surrender a double-move touchdown.
Sunday wasn't entirely a defensive disappointment. Payton Wilson intercepted Shough near the goal line in the third quarter, preventing New Orleans from taking the lead. Patrick Queen later delivered a crucial third-down sack, forcing a fourth-quarter punt. The Saints didn't score after halftime, and those timely plays deserve recognition.
But Harrison's concerns become harder to dismiss when considering the competition Pittsburgh hopes to face in January. Better offenses won't necessarily require a dependable rushing attack to exploit coverage weaknesses. Give an experienced playoff quarterback repeated manageable third downs and inviting throwing windows, and eventually the scoreboard is likely to look considerably uglier.
Steelers Cannot Mistake Winning For Having A Championship-Caliber Defense
Harrison is right to question the sustainability of Pittsburgh's approach. Allowing 10 points is excellent, but the defense shouldn't treat that number as proof that its passing problems have disappeared. The Steelers benefited from timely turnovers, red-zone execution and a Saints offense that couldn't establish balance. Those circumstances won't arrive gift-wrapped every Sunday.
Graham doesn't need to overhaul everything. Pittsburgh's ability to dominate the line of scrimmage gives him a foundation most coordinators would love. He needs better answers behind that front, particularly on passing downs when opponents have demonstrated exactly how they intend to attack.
The Cleveland Browns visit Pittsburgh on November 1, providing another opportunity to evaluate those adjustments before the Week 9 bye. The Steelers are 5-2 and riding three consecutive victories. They're positioned to compete for a postseason spot, but Harrison is asking a question that goes well beyond simply reaching the playoffs.
Pittsburgh has proved it can shut down a running game. Until the passing defense becomes equally dependable, Harrison sees a team capable of winning in October without necessarily having the answers to survive January.
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