The ugly
Through three weeks of the season, the Steelers pass defense is ranked 31st in the NFL, meaning there is only one team worse than us at defending the pass. If that is not the epitome of ugly, I don’t know what is.
The Steelers defense is serving up a staggering 302.7 yards per game. It’s disgracefully ugly right now. Here is an example of why teams are throwing against us with such alacrity. On this particular play, the FB for the 49ers gained 27 yards on a pass because of Mark Barron, one of the Steelers three big free agent singings this offseason, failed to get deep enough in the zone to cover the FB.
Once he was beaten on the play, rather than running at break-neck speed, he took his sweet old time getting back into the zone, but, by that time, it was too late. Watch it for yourself: Barron trotting
Barron has registered nine tackles and half a sack so far on the season. I’m pretty sure when the Steelers signed him, we didn’t tell him it was OK to trot down the field when covering a FB or a RB or a TE or anyone else for that matter.
Look, I’m not trying to bash any player, but Barron has been underwhelming so far in his Steelers tenure. He needs to play better. Period. Oh, and he was flagged for a hold on a 3rd and 11, which led to, what was ultimately, the TD that put the 49ers ahead to stay.
What is most alarming and ugly about this Steelers team right now is that, instead of being 2-1, which we could have been as we could have and should have beaten the Seahawks and the 49ers, we are winless, 0-3. If we can not find a way to beat Cincy next week in prime time, the season will be a lost cause, and that would be ‘really’ ugly.