Can the Steelers secondary hold up on their end?
One of my biggest concerns with the Steelers this offseason was how their secondary would handle all of the change in front of them. Gone were the established veterans like Cameron Sutton and Terrell Edmunds, and while there were some new and experienced names to take their place, there were some holes that needed to be filled.
It was a lackluster showing from the group overall. Patrick Peterson had some of the strongest play, but he also had some significant lows, allowing two touchdowns to his man. Levi Wallace was a mess, a shift from his usual consistent ways. The slot position was lackluster, and the combination of Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee didn’t get the job done at safety.
Frankly, some changes need to be made. I would start off with Desmond King finding his way onto the field. He has been a steady presence for every defense he has played on since entering the league, and while sitting him in the first game after just being added to the roster makes sense, the team would be wise to get him involved on defense this week.
Rookie Joey Porter Jr. also should see some more snaps. He only recorded seven defensive snaps in week one despite a strong offseason. While I was all for Wallace starting this season, Porter needs to be given some more opportunities to prove himself.
Cleveland doesn't have the most potent passing offense, but there are weapons there that can kill this team. The front seven can get some pressure, even without Heyward active, but the secondary has to remain sound in coverage. This is especially true with the offense sputtering in week one.