Steelers vs. Ravens: Can the season be salvaged?

The turnovers and sacks keep on coming for the Steelers defense

Through five games, the Steelers ‘D’ is now ranked 16th in yards allowed per game.  We are ranked 12th in passing yards allowed per game and 21st in rushing yards allowed per game. In terms of sacks, the ‘D’ is ranked 3rd best in total sacks, 4th best in INTs, and are tied for 13th with 9 other teams in the forced fumbles category.

All in all, I would offer that the defense is holding up its end of the bargain after a dreadful showing in week one against the Patriots.  In the Ravens game, the defense generated 3 interceptions and 5 sacks.  To say the defense has stepped it up in the last four games would be an understatement.

One area of concern is the run defense, which gave up 138 yards on the ground to the Ravens and is averaging nearly 126 yards surrendered per game. As I stated before, this ain’t gonna get it done. The ‘Nickel’ formation the Steelers like to employ is not conducive to stopping the run.

With only two down lineman on the field, the linebackers are critical to stopping the run.  If one inside linebacker gets blocked out of the play, the other one has to make the tackle.  If he doesn’t, it’s off to the races for the opposing running back.

This preference to play ‘sub-package’ defense has been a double-edged sword.   I realize the NFL is a passing league, but the Steelers defense has always preached that making an opposing offense one-dimensional is the key to being successful.

This is not happening.  We can neither rely on nor count on the defense, getting turnovers and sacks in every game.  Simply put, the Steelers defense must stiffen up against the run.

So can the Steelers season be salvaged?

Let’s bring this particular discussion full circle by revisiting the question that was posed at the inception:  Can the Steelers season be salvaged?  Since anything is possible, the answer to the question is, ‘Yes, the season can be salvaged.’

Since not very many things are probable, it will say this:  If the Steelers offense can not get the running game on track and, conversely, if the Steelers defense continues to allow almost 126 rushing yards per game, the answer to the question is ‘No, the season can not be salvaged.’

If the Steelers offense can possess the ball and convert third downs at a better clip than 33 percent and can score TDs instead of field goals when the defense creates a turnover, the answer to the question will be ‘Yes.’

If the Steelers defense can stop the run and can continue to get sacks and turnovers, the answer to the question will be ‘Yes.’  Let’s see how those questions are answered over the next eleven games.