The Pittsburgh Steelers' run defense (and defense in general) has looked like a ghost of its former glory self to start the 2025 season. This is a franchise whose defense once held the moniker Steel Curtain. Too many great players suited up on that side of the ball for this to be overlooked. And there is simply too much talent for it to be this bad, right?
But the numbers say otherwise. The Steelers have allowed 299 rushing yards through two games. The New York Jets in Week 1 gave fans flashbacks to the Steelers' season-ending loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round last January. And Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III continued that trend, generating 8.1 yards per carry last Sunday. But film guru Greg Cosell says it's not as bleak as it looks.
"Walker had a couple of long runs, longer runs, but they didn't play the run poorly," Cosell said Thursday on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. "I mean, [Zach] Charbonnet had 15 rushes for 10 yards. And while Walker's numbers looked great, 13 for 105, he had a couple of big ones, bigger ones. So they didn't really play the run poorly."
The Seahawks game is a study in the dichotomy of the Steelers' run defense. They shut down Zach Charbonnet, who put up 4.2 yards per carry in 2024 (and 4.3 in 2023 as a rookie). But Walker gashed them.
Well, Walker gashed the Steelers three times in the game, more precisely. He had three runs of 15 yards or more (and one 13 yarder) last Sunday, including his 19-yard touchdown with just under four minutes remaining that put the game out of reach. He also had two nine-yard runs.
Walker also had seven runs that gained five or fewer yards. Add Charbonnet's rushes (his long was a six yarder), and the Steelers held the Seahawks to five or fewer yards on 19 carries between their two top backs. Unfortunately, when the Steelers allow more than five yards, it's an absolute disaster most of the time.
For further context, check out our Ross McCorkle's research.
More than half the rushing yards the Steelers have allowed this season have come on 10 carries, four of those by Walker last Sunday. As McCorkle wrote, it's feast or famine with this rush defense.
It's hard to imagine that the Steelers have been gashed so many times while also still managing to bring the ball carrier down for no gain or a loss nine times last Sunday. And six other times, they allowed three or fewer yards.
The Steelers' run defense has shown the ability to make stops, especially against the Seahawks. That's why Greg Cosell says that the Steelers didn't do a poor job. But when things break down close to the line of scrimmage, it's taking way too long for the Steelers to bring down opposing runners.
And that's why we're seeing such inflated rushing numbers.
Related Items:Greg Cosell, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, The Ross Tucker Football Podcast Recommended for you Ask Alex: Steelers Mailbag Rod Woodson: 'Rules,' Not 'Tools,' Are To Blame For Steelers' Defensive Struggles Former S Ryan Watts, Steelers Doctor Explain Why He Medically Retired