Tim Benz: The easier the analysis, the harder the answers for Steelers' run defense

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin knows what needs to improve when it comes to his team’s struggling run defense.

“I want us to be stouter,” Tomlin said Tuesday.

OK. Great. Sounds good. We’ll see everybody Sunday at Acrisure Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks.

Problem identified. Problem solved.

Of course, I’m exaggerating, and Tomlin is oversimplifying. He’s aware the issues run deeper, and I’m acutely aware that he knows that.

This is like me figuring out where my sink is leaking, but having no idea how to fix it without calling a plumber.

However, Tomlin’s overarching premise isn’t wrong. The simplest element of defense is where the Steelers are failing in their efforts to slow opposing ground attacks.

“I didn’t think we whipped enough blocks and made enough tackles. Those are fundamental things. We certainly will work to get better there,” Tomlin said.

Those basic shortcomings aren’t lost on the players either.

“We have to be more detailed. As a D-Line, I don’t think we got off blocks well enough. We’ve got to improve and see what it is,” Isaiahh Loudermilk said after playing nearly half the defensive snaps Sunday. “When you have a guy attached to you, it is tough to make tackles.”

Like I said, “basic.”

From Week 10 of 2024 through the playoff game loss to the Ravens, the Steelers allowed 132.5 yards rushing per game. That would’ve paced to be 24th in the NFL over the course of the NFL season.

After an entire summer of talking about how they were working toward improving the problem — to say nothing of throwing three draft picks at the front seven — they allowed 182 yards on the ground to the New York Jets to open the season.

Granted, one of those picks — first-rounder Derrick Harmon — didn’t play because of injury. Although, it’s a hard sell to suggest his presence is going to fix everything.

Especially because it’s not just about the defensive front. At the second level, the inside linebackers need to play much better. Payton Wilson played 56 snaps and made just five tackles, one for a loss. Former Steeler Chris Hoke called him a “no show” on the “Steelers Extra Point” show, and Pro Football Focus rated him 82nd among 94 linebackers against the run in Week 1.

“We have to go into the film room and be honest with ourselves. Truthful. We’ve got to correct these things,” Wilson said.

To his credit, at least Wilson didn’t lean into the alleged difficulties of stopping a running quarterback like Justin Fields.

“We all have rules and assignments. Justin should’ve been accounted for at all times,” Wilson said. “We play someone (Baltimore) two times a year who has one of the best running quarterbacks of all-time (Lamar Jackson). That can’t be the biggest excuse. We have to deal with that.”

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The third level needs to be better as well.

“Reading our keys. Getting to the ball a lot faster,” safety Juan Thornhill said. “You can’t rely on those guys up front to make every single play. If they don’t make it, we have to be there to eliminate those explosive runs.”

Again, it all sounds like obvious stuff. The analysis seems so easy. Why, then, are the solutions so hard?

Probably because the personnel isn’t good enough — certainly not good enough to be the NFL’s highest paid unit on that side of the ball four years running. 

Sorry. Freudian slip. I probably shouldn’t say “running.” Let’s just stick with “four years in a row.”

That price tag is $158.3 million, a cool $18.5 million more than any other NFL defense, according to OverTheCap. I guess the ol’ dollar doesn’t stretch as far as it used to, even if we are talking about playoff bonus incentives.

Ain’t that right, Cam? 

If it isn’t the personnel, then it’s got to be the coaching. More alarmingly, it’s probably both.

“We certainly can do some more things schematically to help the guys and will, but that’s an easier endeavor once we gain more experience collectively and some continuity in that space,” Tomlin added.

Again. Maybe we don’t want to use the word “space,” because opposing running backs are finding way too much of it.

Identifying the problems isn’t the issue. Fixing them is.

Doing so Sunday against Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet would be a good start. San Francisco managed to keep those guys quiet. They only combined for 67 yards en route to a 17-13 Week 1 loss.

The Steelers better figure out how to do the same.

Listen: Tim Benz and Dave “Softy” Mahler of KJR Radio in Seattle preview Steelers-Seahawks