Even Keith Butler's wife critical of way Steelers defense has played in recent weeks

Think Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler is getting heat from the talk-show callers and social media trolls?

The criticism he has received in the wake of his defense allowing 41 points in back-to-back losses is nothing compared to the chilly reception he gets when he walks through his front door.

It seems that Janet Butler, his wife of 41 years, is his harshest critic.

“I always call her coach when I get home,” Butler said Thursday. “She tells me what we did wrong. She tells me what we should have done here, should have done there. Why did you do this? Why did you do that?

“Sometimes I just say, ‘Hey, sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.’ ”

The problem for Butler is the Steelers haven’t been winning much lately. They are riding an 0-2-1 streak that they will try to snap Sunday against the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens, who have a former NFL MVP at quarterback in Lamar Jackson and have the league’s fourth-ranked offense and second-best running game.

Butler is trying to counter with a defense that might not include All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who remains on the reserve/covid list, injured cornerback Joe Haden and already is missing two starters on the line.

“When you have injuries and stuff, you are playing with people who have to step up,” Butler said. “Sometimes it takes a week or two or couple weeks to understand what it’s like to be a Steeler and all that stuff. Our guys want to do well. It’s not like they want to get run over and give up dadgum 41 points — twice.

“None of us like that crap. I think our guys will play hard and do the best we can.”

Butler, though, doesn’t have a sure-fire cure for his defense’s problems, and there is no trick of the trade he has learned during his 19 seasons with the Steelers that he can apply Sunday.

“There is no great defense that covers everything,” he said. “You hope you can run some stuff that your guys can do and help them out. No, we have to play and be more physical.”

The lack of physicality is evident in the rankings. A defense that was third overall last season in fewest points and yardage allowed has dropped to No. 23 in points, No. 25 in yards and No. 28 against the run. The Steelers are allowing 4.82 yards per carry, the highest average in franchise history in the Super Bowl era. The second-worst total? 4.40 in 2017.

“It dadgum (ticks) me off, too,” Butler said. “I try not to look at stuff like that. I only try to look when we’re in the top 10. I’m not happy about it. Anybody that is a competitor isn’t happy about where we are right now against the run and stuff like that.”

The defense’s performance against the Bengals in a 41-3 loss — Cincinnati rushed for 198 yards and scored on its opening four possessions — led to several former Steelers players criticizing the effort and intensity they saw unfold.

Defensive captain Cameron Heyward said the players are “pissy and annoyed” by their performance against Cincinnati and don’t need outside reminders of how poorly the defense is playing.

“At the end of the day, it’s 11 guys and this team getting it done,” Heyward said. “I appreciate their comments, but we need to get it done. If we start worrying about what is said elsewhere, shame on us.”

Butler coached some of his defense’s most vocal critics, namely Ryan Clark and Chris Hoke. If he’s bothered by their remarks, he isn’t letting on publicly.

“They want us to do well,” Butler said. “They are pulling for us to do well. They don’t want us to do bad. I don’t think anybody wants that, including us.”

Janet Butler falls into that category, too.

“She claims she knows more than she does,” Butler said. “She’s always telling my son — he’s a high school coach in Jackson, Tenn. — she lets him know after the game what he should be doing, too. But she’s my biggest fan. She’s always for us. She wants to win one more Super Bowl, too.”

Unless the Steelers turn it around defensively, that goal will go unanswered this season.