Steelers Defense Has Another Gear Left to Hit
LATROBE -- Most of the talk around the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason has been about the offense. Can Kenny Pickett make his second-year leap? Is George Pickens a superstar? How will the improved offensive line elevate the rest of the unit?
But the Steelers won't need their offense to make an unlikely leap from mediocre to explosive in order to be competitive in 2023. This defense was supposed to be elite, and they've looked every part of elite so far through two weeks of training camp, which should give the team confidence that they will take steps forward even without a great offense.
It's fair to wonder if practice reps against an offense that ranked 23rd in total offense and 26th in points per game last season is a good barometer for what is or is not an elite unit, but the Steelers' defense has handled their own team's offense exactly the way you'd expect the elite to handle an average opponent.
The Steeler's defense has not lost a seven shots drill since the second day of practices, well before pads came on. They've won 15 of 21 total reps over the past three practices as well. And the drill isn't just a show for the fans in attendance - it's a major emphasis for this team because of it's application to the regular season.
"You know, that's the overriding purpose of seven shots to be quite honest with you," head coach Mike Tomlin said. "To be able to apply it to other circumstances and keep a point total down. And so, you know, we spent a lot of time in that area of the field trying to familiarize ourselves with calls down there and be in position to execute. Things happened quickly down there, and it was a good day for them in that regard.
They've been successful defending two-minute drills, as well. Joey Porter Jr. intercepted Kenny Pickett to kill a hopeful drive during the first two-minute drill of camp and even when undermanned, the defense kept Kenny Pickett and company out of the end zone during a two-minute drill at their latest practice.
And the defense has done this despite having to rotate a host of new faces. In fact, it's rarely been the established stars on this team to have stood out during team drills against the first offense.
Damontae Kazee, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Keanu Neal, Porter Jr. and Tre Norwood have all missed time with injuries while some other veterans - Patrick Peterson, T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith - have taken frequent planned rest days.
But the unit as a whole still hasn't skipped a beat. Safeties Tre Norwood and Kenny Robinson have held down the back end with Fitzpatrick and Kazee having been sidelined. Cornerbacks Elijah Riley and Chandon Sullivan have looked like fast risers and created a compelling battle at the nickel corner spot. Prior to his recent injury, Porter had been a standout at corner. Rookie outside linebacker Nick Herbig has become a pass rush specialist thanks to some help from Watt.
There is both high-level talent and young depth that will give the Steelers defensive sticking power at the top of the league for all 17 games of 2023. For as good as the unit has looked so far in training camp, there is another gear left for them to hit. Once the cavalry arrives and the defense is at full strength, the Steelers will truly be one of the elite groups in the NFL.
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