For the second week in a row, it felt like the Pittsburgh Steelers were being handed a golden ticket.
After a long Sunday filled with hard-fought NFL action, all the stars seemed to be aligning for Mike Tomlin and company. Losses by both the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns opened the door wide for Pittsburgh to take control of the AFC North. All they had to do was handle their business against the Green Bay Packers during Sunday Night Football.
But instead of seizing the opportunity with urgency, the Steelers’ defense looked like they were playing with their food.
It started promising enough. On the opening drive, 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers gave the home crowd something to cheer about. He connected with rookie wideout Roman Wilson on a 55-yard strike down the right sideline, setting up Arthur Smith’s offense deep in Green Bay territory.
The drive, however, stalled — a familiar tune for Pittsburgh this season — and they settled for a 56-yard Chris Boswell field goal. It was points, yes, but not the statement they needed.
And then, the defense took the field — or at least, their shadows did.
Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense didn’t have to be spectacular; Pittsburgh made it easy. Green Bay’s second possession saw missed tackles, blown coverages, and poor pursuit angles. Love methodically picked apart the defense before hitting tight end Tyler Kroft for a 16-yard touchdown.
It was a drive that summed up the first half perfectly — Green Bay didn’t dominate, Pittsburgh just self-destructed.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no choice but to fix their defensive issues
The Steelers answered with another Boswell field goal, this time from 50 yards, but the pattern was clear. Field goals don’t win games in the modern NFL, and they certainly don’t cover for a defense that looks uninspired. For a unit that has long been the pride and identity of this franchise, Sunday night’s performance felt foreign — almost lifeless.
Let’s face it: Green Bay earned every bit of their first-half dominance. They racked up chunk plays, kept the Steelers’ pass rush at bay, and made the defense look two steps behind on nearly every snap. Star defenders like T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cameron Heyward were missing in action certainly.
That didn’t help, and there's no excuse for lack of effort. The tackling was soft, the awareness was worse, and the leadership seemed absent.
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And then there’s Darius Slay. The veteran cornerback, acquired in the offseason, once again looked like a liability. Missed tackles, poor reads, and a general lack of urgency raised serious questions about whether Omar Khan made a mistake bringing him in.
When you’re wearing black and gold, mediocrity on defense isn’t tolerated — but lately, it’s been the norm.
This isn’t the Steelers defense we once knew. The group that used to impose its will, force turnovers, and make quarterbacks regret showing up — that unit feels distant. Maybe it’s a matter of chemistry, or maybe it’s something deeper.
One thing, though, remains true: defense wins championships. And right now, Pittsburgh is far from championship form. The offense can only do so much when the other side of the ball can’t hold its ground.
The Steelers were given a gift on Sunday — a chance to take command of the AFC North. Instead, they handed the first half to Green Bay on a silver platter. Unless the defense rediscovers its bite soon, this season’s golden opportunities might keep slipping right through their fingers.