The biggest disappointment with the Pittsburgh Steelers through two games has been the play of the most expensive defense in the NFL. This group has been pushed around by the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks despite having a a multitude of first-round picks in the starting lineup. This week the Steelers take on the New England Patriots and their red-hot quarterback Drake Maye. Pittsburgh can’t afford to fall to 1-2 but if they want to win this week, it will fall on the defense to step up.
Here are the Steelers defensive keys to victory versus the Patriots.
Pressure Drake Maye
Maye has been on a tear through two games. He’s got full command of the Patriots offense, and is putting up great numbers. If he sits back and gets comfortable, it’ll be a long day for the Steelers.
Roster changes are a must
It is time to shake up the roster and hopefully light a fire under the defense. As much as we love defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and linebacker Payton Wilson, they have both been serious liabilities in the middle of the defense and we expect to see more of Yahya Black and Cole Holcomb this week.
Win the one-on-ones
At some point, all the talk about the coaching has to stop, and grown men who make millions of dollars have to figure out how to line up across from another man and win that one-on-one matchup.
Get T.J. Watt involved
Speaking of winning their matchups, Watt is at the top of the list. As long as Watt lines up in the same spot every play, he’s not going to see many opportunities, so this is one area where the coaches need to find ways to move Watt around and free him up to make plays on Maye.
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