Losing in the NFL, in any form, is never a good thing. A one-point thriller or a 30-point beatdown, they both count the same in the loss column. But for a team that prides itself on being a physical, defense-first group like the Pittsburgh Steelers do, their 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday was an especially tough pill to swallow.
Pittsburgh's defense allowed 249 rushing yards, the most they have allowed to an opponent since Heinz/Acrisure Stadium opened. It was a disastrous performance from start to finish, and it gave a struggling Steelers offense no chance to compete.
It would be bad enough if they gave up multiple 50-yard runs to get to that total, but it was even more embarrassing than that. The Bills ran a staggering 51 times, allowing them to possess the ball for nearly 42 minutes of game time. With a game against Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens up next, the Steelers must solve their latest issues defending the run.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' run defense continues to be an issue they can't quite shake
The most frustrating part about the Steelers' run defense is the lack of consistency. They were able to limit strong running teams like the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears to under 100 yards, and yet they allowed big days to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers in crucial losses.
Those games pale in comparison to the beatdown the Bills put on them, however. It felt different right from the start, and I think the problem was two-fold.
Rookie interior defender Derrick Harmon missing this game clearly put a strain on a defensive front that lacks size and strength outside of Cam Heyward. Harmon was drafted highly for a reason, and his eventual return should help clean up some of the issues that fans saw on Sunday.
More concerning was the lack of creativity needed from the Bills' rushing attack. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady kept spamming Duo and Mid Zone, exploiting the Steelers' poor run fits and finding lanes to the outside or right through the heart of the defense. It seemed like lead back James Cook was able to get to the edge at will, leaving cornerbacks to try and tackle him in space.
That cannot happen even a few times a game if a defense wants to be successful at stopping the run, let alone at will. That's without even mentioning that Buffalo was down both of their starting tackles in this game. If the Steelers allow the same thing to happen against Henry in Week 14, the Ravens will have no trouble walking away with an easy victory. That would likely be the nail in the coffin for the Steelers' 2025 season.