5 key takeaways from Steelers Week 1 win over Bills

Steelers secondary is versatile

The Steelers lost two starting cornerbacks this offseason in Mike Hilton and Steven Nelson, and they never really added any player to replace them. While a player like James Pierre shined on the outside and the team ended up trading for Ahkello Witherspoon late in the offseason, there were still major questions as to who would line up where in the secondary.

As it stands right now, it seems like the team is taking a committee approach to the job. The Steelers started with rookie Tre Norwood in the slot, before eventually letting Arthur Maulet take over, and finally, Pierre played on the outside and Cameron Sutton kicked inside.

While some of the players, such as Norwood, took some lumps, the secondary as a whole held up well. With so many moving pieces, it seems as though this team will be able to cover for their losses from last season with a variety of players.

Now, Witherspoon was out for this game as he was likely still learning the ropes of the defense, but when he eventually earns a helmet, it would seem likely that the team keeps Sutton in the slot more often. If an injury occurs, though, it is comforting knowing that the Steelers have options that can hold up well enough in the secondary.

While not perfect, this group played far better than they should have. They have the front seven to thank for dominating the Bills front, but this team has plenty of players in the secondary that can hold down a variety of roles moving forward.

While far from a perfect game, the Steelers found a way to move the ball and wear down the Bills in their Week 1 win. Moving forward, the team should look to build off its strengths and find a way to mitigate the ineffectiveness of the offensive line.

Keep these takeaways in mind as the team begins gearing up for their week two game against the Raiders.