4 takeaways from Steelers ugly loss to the Bengals in Week 3
By Tommy Jaggi
3. Steelers secondary is susceptible to big plays
One of my fears with Pittsburgh’s defense this year is that the cornerbacks could get exposed if Pittsburgh isn’t able to provide consistent pressure on the quarterback. We have seen this for two weeks in a row now.
With T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith sidelined against the Bengals with groin injuries, the pass rush got there just a hair late against Cincinnati this week. The results of forcing Pittsburgh’s defensive backs to cover for a few seconds longer were not favorable.
While he only had to throw the ball 18 times to win this game by multiple scores, quarterback Joe Burrow completed 14 passes for 172 yards (9.6 yards per attempt) and 3 passing touchdowns to go with 1 interception on a tipped ball. This equated to an all-too-friendly 122.9 passer rating.
James Pierre had another very poor showing as he easily let rookie Ja’Marr Chase beat him over the top for a 34-yard touchdown to put seven more points on the board for the Bengals just before the half. These cornerbacks have been extremely suspect early in the season, and this is something they could prove to struggle with all year.