The Pittsburgh Steelers have been on a tear as of late, and their defense is one of the biggest reasons for this surge in success. While there were some growing pains early in the season, this group has taken some massive leaps forward, which have propelled this team to victory.
After years of spending a lot on the defense to only record middling results, this feels like a breath of fresh air.
I’ll be the first to admit that I was skeptical of the Patrick Graham hire when it was announced. Now, halfway through the season, it not only appears to be the right move, but one that could prove massive for the franchise moving forward.
The Pittsburgh Steelers hit a homerun with Patrick Graham at defensive coordinator
When you look over this defense as a whole, you can’t help but be pleased with the first-year results for this unit.
Currently, the defense is sixth in total yards and third in scoring. Add in a league-leading 26 sacks to go along with 13 total takeaways (third-best in the NFL), and you have a strong unit overall.
There have been some warts – the secondary has been hot and cold, and the Steelers haven’t played a lot of elite offenses as of late, but this stretch of dominance is still worth noting.
More importantly, the scheme is updating week by week to best serve this team. It felt like Mike Tomlin’s defense was the same style every week, no matter who they were playing. We are seeing different packages and personnel every week as the team schemes up matchups to try and win.
You are also getting a lot of great play spread out over the entire roster. While the stars are shining, everyone feels like they are chipping in. Even the off-ball linebackers, a huge question mark after the offseason, have played at a high level.
The defensive line in particular has been incredible. You are seeing a high level of play at every level. Even with Derrick Harmon out injured (who was also playing at a high level), this unit hasn’t missed a beat.
I was skeptical of the hire despite it being well received during the offseason. Graham had staying power in the league, but his units were never particularly good. I guess he needed the right pieces, as he has taken this group to the next level.
Now, the question becomes how much interest he receives as a head coach.
It feels like he will need to prove it again next year, but he is clearly a coach on the rise. If he does land a head coaching job in the future, the Steelers still benefit by receiving a pair of third-round picks for the loss.
The Steelers made a lot of good moves this offseason. However, one of the best moves is undoubtedly the Graham hire. He has been a core reason why this team is sitting at 6-2 at the bye week.
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