Two Goods and a Bad: Somehow, the Steelers Need to Keep Bud Dupree

All we know is the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is as good as they come, and messing that up doesn't seem right.

10-0, and at this point, it's getting the feeling around the Pittsburgh Steelers is a bit too good. Maybe it's Mason Rudolph finishing a second game in a row, but it just doesn't feel like the Steelers should be this good.

But they are.

"We don't anticipate rolling out of tunnels and people laying down for us," head coach Mike Tomlin said postgame. "These are going to be competitive games."

Well, this one wasn't. The Steelers walked away with a 27-3 win over their AFC opponent, bringing the all-time record between them and the Jaguars to 13-14, inching closer to another winning record under Tomlin.

It wasn't a game the starters needed to finish, but it was one that grabbed you until the end. Even if the score wasn't close, the excitement never ended. And it left plenty of good to talk about.

Good - Bud Dupree

It's true; chances are someone not named the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to sign Bud Dupree to a lot - A LOT - of money. And yes, that's probably a bad thing, but for right now, it's an essential part of the Steelers defense.

When Dupree isn't finding the quarterback, he's pushing the pocket. When he's not tackling the runner, he's forcing the ball carrier towards the pile.

The intangibles Dupree brings to the Steelers defense are untouchable. Yes, Alex Highsmith is a bright young part of this linebacker room, and he'll fill in just fine if the Steelers decide Dupree is too expensive, but there's no replacing Dupree.

Adding one more sacks and two more quarterback hits to his season total, Dupree is asserting himself as a Pro Bowler early. No one really knows how it could happen, including me, but keeping Dupree needs to be right at the top of the Steelers' offseason to-do list.

Good - Diontae Johnson

Another week, another 100-yard game for Diontae Johnson. With two consecutive games over the century mark, the second-year receiver is stepping into a role the team has waited all season for.

In a receiving core filled to the max, where anyone can explode on any given week, Johnson is becoming the bell cow wideout. Some want to say the new Antonio Brown. Some would be correct.

"He's a heck of a football player," Ben Roethlisberger said after the game. "I believe in him. I'll say it again, he's a heck of a football player."

JuJu Smith-Schuster is proving every week to be more and more like Hines Ward, and man, do Steelers fans love it. Third down is where you make your money according to, well, JuJu, and he's earning his payday this offseason.

Johnson is the playmaker, though. The receiver you spread out and find multiple ways to get him the football. Not every week it's going to be Johnson who's open, but until he's not, you should assume he will be.

"It's really about what they did," Tomlin said. "They were down some corners, and they played more zone than they did man, and it provided an opportunity for volume catches for some. He happened to be on the receiving end of it today."

Good - Bonus (because we had to): Terrell Edmunds

Terrell 'Interceptions' Edmunds. Does more need to be said?

Edmunds came into Week 10 having a solid season with 40 tackles, 5 pass deflections, and having the breakout season Pittsburgh has been waiting for. He left it with every critic rethinking whether or not "hands" needs to be removed from his cons list.

Not one, but two interceptions, matching Minkah Fitzpatrick on the day. Even if it's against a rookie quarterback, it was easy to see Edmunds was in the right place and was able to, well, catch the football - two things he's been missing in his coverage game.

"Really just trying to help the team out the best way I can," Edmunds opened his postgame interview. "First [interception] was an overthrown ball. Overthrows as a DB, that's what you're asking for. The second [interception] was just playing my zone, made a nice drop and just tried to help the team out the best way I could."

Keith Butler should ever stop moving Edmunds around. He plays quicker on his feet in the box and reacts to the ball twice as well when he's not backpedaling in coverage.

Add another one to the Steelers' list of defensive playmakers.

Bad - Run Defense

The Steelers don't have a defensive problem, but they do need to sharpen their tools against the run. They escaped allowing another 100-yard rush total, but James Robinson still accumulated 73 yards on the ground.

It'd be one thing if every week the Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens. No one's questioning a team who gives up 100 yards to an offense run by Lamar Jackson.

And even when it was Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard were somewhat excusable. But Giovanni Bernard, and Robinson with Jake Luton at quarterback?

It could've been the Jaguars choosing to run the ball fighting from behind nearly the entire game. It could've been Robinson finding holes when the Steelers dropped into more dime and sub-packages in the second half. Either way, it's a number the Steelers can get better with.

Don't chalk it up as a total loss for the defense. Anytime you hold a team, backup quarterback or not, to three points, there is little room to complain. In a 27-3 win, you need to find something, though.

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.