Aging defense cripples Steelers

By Alan Robinson

The Steelers' defense isn't what it used to be.

It isn't what Troy Polamalu knows it to be. It isn't like any other Dick LeBeau has put on the field. It isn't like any Steelers defense since Chuck Noll was coaching.

For all the Steelers' problems on offense, and they are many, nothing explains their 0-4 start like the falloff of a defense that was easily the NFL's best statistically over the previous five seasons.

“I think we all have to reassess ourselves,” Polamalu said. “Everybody is very disappointed.”

Eight starters remain from 2008, when the Steelers' defense was one of the best of all time despite taking on the roughest schedule of any Super Bowl winner. From 2008-12, the Steelers allowed nearly 2,000 fewer yards than any other NFL team.

“But this is a defense in transition,” said former Colts general manager Bill Polian, a SiriusXM radio NFL analyst.

It's also a defense in remission.

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I'm not sure they can fix this,” said former Colts and Bucs coach Tony Dungy, an “NBC Sunday Night Football” analyst. “I don't know that they have the talent. I think they just have an old defense that does not have any playmakers wrote:

Wow. Had this quote come from anyone else, I'd have second guessed it....but from Tony? I really like and respect Tony Dungy. He isn't one to just throw out opinions for the hell of it, and he isn't a Steeler hater for sure.

I think Mr. Dungy may be spot on with this analysis. I'm hoping Jarvis Jones steps up to the plate soon

We keep hearing about the Steelers' old defense, but other than Troy, Ike, Clark, and Keisel, it's not exactly an old defense. And while Clark is having a down year, the other three aren't hurting the defense with their advanced age. In fact, Keisel, Troy, and Ike are having a solid season so far.

We've got two rookies playing on defense, as well as younger players like Cortez, McLendon, and Heyward. And Hood, Timmons, and Woodley aren't exactly old.

So I don't buy the argument that the defense is struggling because it's old. I believe the problem is in the schemes (where's the blitzes? .. and why are the CBs playing 10 to 12 yards off the receivers?) and poor execution. It wasn't old-man Ike who played like crap last week ... it was the youngster, Cortez.