News Steelers Team Notes

Steelers injury report: Joey Porter Jr in danger of missing Week 2

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have multiple key players on the injury report this week, one of whom has missed both Wednesday and Thursday’s practice, making it a real possibility that he doesn’t play on Sunday.

Joey Porter Jr. continues to deal with a hamstring injury, and he could miss the home opener. The full injury report is as follows:

  • CB Joey Porter Jr: DNP, hamstring (DNP Wednesday)
  • S DeShon Elliott: DNP, knee (DNP Wednesday)
  • EDGE Nick Herbig: FP, hamstring (LP Wednesday)
  • OL Calvin Anderson: FP, illness (DNP Wednesday)
  • EDGE T.J. Watt: FP, rest (DNP Wednesday)
  • DT Cam Heyward: DNP, rest (LP Wednesday)
  • DT Derrick Harmon: DNP, knee (DNP Wednesday)

Nick Herbig looks like he is on pace to make his season debut. DeShon Elliott and Derick Harmon have already been ruled out for Sunday.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...rt-joey-porter-jr-in-danger-of-missing-week-2
 
2026 NFL Draft: Quarterback stock watch — WK2

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We are less than 24 hours away from Week 3 of the college football season, which means it’s time to check back in on the quarterbacks we’ve been following. After a handful of marquee matchups to open the season, the vast majority of our passers and major programs faced smaller programs to Week 2. This is common during the early stretch of the season. These games might not be as meaningful as conference games or showdowns against ranked opponents, but they can still be useful for our purpose. It can also raise concerns when a quarterback struggles. With that much in mind, let’s jump in.

Riser of the Week​

John Mateer​

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The result: Michigan 13 – Oklahoma 24

The stats: 21-34 (61.8%), 270 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 Big Time Throws, 2 Turnover Worthy Plays, 9.3 ADoT, 1 sack
19 rushes, 75 yards, 3.9 ypc, 2 tds

There’s been a steady buzz building around Mateer since he transferred to Oklahoma. One of the most entertaining, albeit unconventional, quarterbacks in college football, the main question was whether the Washington State transfer’s play style would translate when facing stiffer competition. The Michigan team Mateer faced isn’t on the level as the Wolverines team that recently won the national championship, but they are still a respected blue blood in the Big Ten and came into the game ranked 15th in the country.

Let’s start with the negatives and then wash it down with the positives.

Mateer wasn’t as accurate as he was during the season, and there are a couple of throws he attempts in this game where he is lucky not to turn the ball over. (2:53)(4:03) He also had a few balls sail on him in this game, including the interception he threw in the first quarter (1:46), and a fleaflicker that could have resulted in a touchdown (5:43).

It’s easy to watch Mateer and nitpick his game and traits. He’s shorter than I typically like in a quarterback. He plays with a frenetic, backyard style. His throwing motion reminds you of a shortstop turning two, and he’s seemingly always throwing his fastball. Sometimes, when he goes on the move you have to hold your breath because you aren’t sure if he’s going to run into a massive sack or do the most insane thing you’ve ever seen. His footwork and mechanics are not what they would call teach tape for young quarterbacks.

But at the same time, that’s what makes Mateer special. Mechanically, he reminds me a ton of Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, and Kyler Murray. The ways those quarterbacks move and the systems they’ve all gone through have a lot of similarities. I don’t have a catchy name for it, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that all four went to high schools with a seven-and-a-half-hour drive from each other.

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Regardless, this game also proved that Mateer can produce against stiffer competition. He had some truly impressive throws attacking the seam (0:15), and soft spots in zone along the sideline (0:32, 1:17). His throw at (1;38) on this in-breakers was another favorite. Though he isn’t a guy that’s going to blow you away with his speed, Mateer is effective and seemingly surprises defenders at times with his agility. Sooner running backs got 20 carries in the game. Mateer got 19 and scored twice on the ground. The Sooner offense runs through him.

While it remains to be seen how good that Michigan team is, it’s still a good first test for Mateer. His next challenge is to do it against SEC opponents during conference play.

I don’t think Mateer is quite in the running for QB1 in April, but we’ve seen crazier things happen. This game kept the door open for that possibility, and I think has Mateer firmly in the discussion to be drafted in the mid-to-late first round with continued high performance.

Next up: @ Temple



For the rest of the article, I will chime in with some thoughts in a more of a roundtable/roundup way. I’ll sort them into categories and discuss at the bottom each category.

Heading in the right direction​

Garrett Nussmeier​


The result: LA Tech 7 – LSU 23
The stats: 26-41 (63.4%), 237, 1 TD, 1 INT, 3 Bbtt, 2 twp, 9.1 adot, 3 sacks
Next up: Florida

Carson Beck​


The result: Bethune-Cookman 3 – Miami 45
The stats: 22-24 (91.7%), 267, 2 TD, 1 btt, 0 twp, 0 sacks
Next up: (18) Southern Florida

Fernando Mendoza​


The result: Kennesaw State 9 – Indiana 56
The stats: 18-25 (72.0%), 245, 4 td, 0 btt, 0 twp, 10.0 adot, 0 sacks
3 rushes, 20 yards, 6.7 ypc
Next up: Indiana State

Summary: LSU left a ton on the field last week. Tiger pass catchers dropped four passes, but Nussemeier looked calm and in command throughout. His knee doesn’t appear to be a problem so far, including on one throw where he had to roll right out of pressure and found a guy downfield for a dart (1:38). The Tigers took more shots downfield this week, and there is still some timing to be worked on. He underthrew a ball (0:11) downfield that was tipped and ricocheted into a trailing defender for an interception.

Beck didn’t blow me away, but he did what he was supposed to do against a game against a smaller school. Miami had the better athletes on the field and Beck played a clean game.

Mendoza and his receivers still are working to get on the same page, but it was a better showing this week for the most part, even though there were still two drops. Mendoza has a cannon for an arm, and I’m eager to see him face off against tougher competition.

Nothing to see here​

LaNorris Sellers​


The result: South Carolina State 10 – South Carolina 38
The stats: 11-19 (57.9%), 128 yards, 1 TD, 1 btt, 0 twp, 11.0 adot, 2 sacks
6 rushes, 28 yards, 4.7 YPC, 1 fumble
Next up: Vanderbilt

Drew Allar​


The result: FIU 0 – Penn State 34
The stats: 19-33 (57.6%), 200 yd, 2 td, 0 int, 0 btt,0 twp, 9.1 adot, 2 sacks
Next up: Vilanova

Summary: Weird game for South Carolina. They had two punt return touchdowns — making that three return touchdowns for South Carolina’s Vicari Swain through two weeks — and returned a fumble for a touchdown on defense.

Penn State also had another game dominated by running backs Kaytron Allen (16-144-1) and Nicholas Singleton (13-76-1). Allar wasn’t his sharpest, but he didn’t need to be. Still, it’s another typical performance for him, low on yardage, a couple of scores and no turnovers.

Bounce back games​

Arch Manning​


The result: San Jose State 7 – Texas 38
The stats: 19-30 (63.3%), 295, 4 TD, 1 INT, 3 btt, 3 twp, 12.0 adot, 1 sack
3 rushes 30 yd, 10.0 YPC, 1 TD, 1 fumble
Next up: UTEP

Sawyer Robertson​


The result: Baylor 48 – SMU 45 (OT)
The stats: 34-50 (68.0%), 440 yds, 4 td, 0 int, 5 btt, 2 twp, 9.3 adot, 1 sack
5 rushes, 28 yds, 5.6 ypc
Next up: Samford

Summary: Arch still has a lot to work on — his interception was incredibly ugly (3:03) and erased a scoring opportunity in the red zone — but there was plenty of sizzle as Texas handled an opponent they were expected to.

I’m still not as high on Robertson as some in draft circles are, but it was a gutsy win against a good SMU team that was ranked 17th entering the game. Lots of vertical routes and throws around the line of scrimmage, so his numbers are a little juiced, in my opinion, but I thought it was a good response after looking flat and out of rhythm for much of the game against Auburn.

Intrigued but want to see more​

Dante Moore​


The result:Oklahoma State 3 – Oregon 69
The stats: 16-21 (76.2%), 266, 3 TD, 2 btt, 0 twp, 7.9 adot, 0 sacks
2 rushes, 11 yd, 5.5 YPC
Next up: @ Northwestern

Aidan Chiles​


The result: Boston College 40 – Michigan State 42 (OT)
The stats: 19-29 (65.5%), 231 yards, 4 tds, 1 btt, 0 twp, 13.7 adot, 4 sacks
8 rushes, 67 yards, 8.4 ypc, 1 td
Next up: Youngstown State

Jayden Maiava​


The result: Georgia Southern 20 – USC 59
The stats: 16-24 (66.7%), 412 yards, 4 tds, 1 btt, 0 twp, 11.0 adot, 0 sacks
2 rushes, 5 yards, 2.5 ypc
Next up: at Purdue

Taylen Green​


The result: Arkansas State 14 – Arkansas 56
The stats: 17-26 (65.4%), 239 yards, 4 tds, 2 ints, 1 btt, 2 twp, 9.6 adot, 0 sacks
9 rushes, 151 yards, 16.8 ypc, 1 td
Next up: @ (17) Ole Miss

Summary: The Oregon game was practically over by the end of the first quarter. The Oklahoma State Cowboys aren’t necessarily a good team, but it was still stunning to see a Big 12 school with some history getting completely outclassed by the Ducks’ offense. Moore has looked sharp and has a great feel for pressure through the first two games, and I really want to see how he looks against Big 10 competition.

Aidan Chiles continues to look more and more comfortable running the Michigan State offense. He still takes too many sacks, but he won a shootout against Boston College, tossing four touchdowns and adding 67 yards and a score on the ground. Way to keep building.

Jayden Maiava is putting up the numbers you want to see in these gimme games in the schedule. He was impressive for a second straight week and will need to keep it going as the opponents get tougher.

Taylen Green is a video game character. He had one really bad interception where he didn’t see a linebacker, and another where he misplaced the ball, but the rest of his day was comical. He had several massive rushing gains as he looked like the fastest man on the field. I’m still not sure he’s a fully developed passer, but he’s at 10 passing touchdowns through two weeks after throwing 15 touchdowns in 2024. We’ll keep an eye on this situation as the Razorbacks enter SEC competition.

This week was concerning​

Sam Leavitt​


The result: Arizona State 20 – Mississippi State 24
The stats: 10-23 (43.5%), 82 yards, 1 TD, 2 int, 0 btt, 3 twp, 13.3 adot, 2 sacks
6 rushes, 46 yards, 7.7 ypc
Next up: Texas State

Cade Klubnik​


The result: Troy 16 – Clemson 27

The stats: 18-24 (75.0%), 196 yards, 2 td, 1 int, 1 btt, 0 twp, 8.8 adot, 1 sack
4 rushes, 7 yards, 1.8 YPC
Next up: @ Georgia Tech

Nico Iamaleava​


The result: UCLA 23 – UNLV 30

The stats: 31-44 (70.5%), 268 yards, 1 td, 1 int, 0 btt, 1 twp, 6.6 adot, 2 sacks
9 rushes, 69 yards, 7.7 ypc, 1 td, 1 fumble
Next up: New Mexico

Summary: Leavitt had the roughest week. Facing a Mississippi State defense that was one of the worst in the country just a year ago, the Arizona State passer looked like he started pressing when Mississippi took an early lead. While he remains an electric runner, this was truly disaster-level stuff throwing the ball. Leavitt looked lost and forced several throws. He can still turn it around, but this is the kind of tape that will have the advisory board telling him to return to school for another year.

Klubnik and Clemson are having a tough start. They’ve yet to look in rhythm and fell behind 16-0 in the third quarter before they were able to lock in and gut out a 27-16 victory. It wasn’t a particularly bad day from Klubnik, but with expectations as high as they are for this Clemson squad, it was another performance that left you concerned with how laborious the offense’s drives look at the moment.

And I’m all but ready to call it for Iamaleava for the year. He’s still oozing with physical talent, but I’d have a hard time saying he’s ready for the pros. A heavy dose of his completions were in quick underenath routes or check downs. He had two costly fumbles. I’m just not seeing it yet.



What do you think of these prospects? Have any of them moved up your big board? Let us know in the comments!

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...98/2026-nfl-draft-quarterback-stock-watch-wk2
 
Steelers vs. Seahawks: 5 questions with the enemy ahead of Week 2

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The Steelers (1-0) and Seahawks (0-1) enter Week 2 of the 2025 season as teams trying to prove that they’re a step above the NFL’s middle class. To preview how both squads match up, I chatted with John Gilbert, deputy editor at SB Nation’s Seahawks website Field Gulls, ahead of the game.

You can read my questions and his answers below:


1. The Seahawks are one game into the Sam Darnold experience. How’s it going?


There were a lot of fans who were extremely skeptical of the Darnold signing in the spring, and he likely didn’t win over any of the doubters with his Week 1 performance. That’s not to say that he was bad or played poorly, just that he didn’t light the world on fire and put up a statline like one would expect of the most expensive outside free agent in franchise history.

Of course, as much as some may complain, Seahawks fans have been spoiled by thirteen seasons of quality quarterback play from Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, so the bar for Darnold to prove himself is higher than had he signed elsewhere.

2. Mike Macdonald is widely regarded as one of the better defensive minds in the NFL. Is this Seahawks defense a top-10 unit?


They were right on the edge of being a top ten unit last season, so a second season of experience in the system, along with a couple of key additions should give them the potential to be one of the top performing groups in the league.

Whether it actually plays out like that on the field remains to be seen, but so far there hasn’t been any sign of the defense regressing to anywhere near what it was prior to Macdonald’s arrival.

3. What’s up with the Zach Charbonnet/Kenneth Walker split in the Seahawks backfield? And what’s the level of confidence in that run game taking on a Steeler defense that gave up 182 rushing yards last week?


This is a question that everyone is asking, and I’m confused why it’s being asked by those who have watched the Seahawks play for the past several seasons.

New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak runs a system that comes from the Shanahan family of offenses, meaning it is heavy on outside zone. Charbonnet has excelled running behind zone blocking so far in his NFL career, and at UCLA prior to that. In contrast, Walker has struggled to make the proper reads to run in a zone heavy system during his career, and that was on full display in Week 1, which I wrote about for Field Gulls earlier in the week.

Long story short, at this point the Seahawks coaching staff doesn’t seem to trust Walker to execute on zone calls, which is a significant issue in a zone-heavy system like that of Kubiak.

how things look when one back excels at making the reads necessary to run in a zone system and the other, well . . . pic.twitter.com/6yozO9r5wV

— John P Gilbert (@JohnPGilbertNFL) September 10, 2025

4. Who are some underrated names on the Seahawks roster who could impact Sunday’s outcome?


The interior of the offensive line — Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell and Anthony Bradford — have a total of two dozen NFL starts between them, with Bradford laying claim to 22 of those 24 starts. That inexperience showed at times during Week 1 against the 49ers, and I’m certain Mike Tomlin and his staff will look to at least test the interior of the offensive line at some point in the game.

As for underrated names that may have an impact on the game, cornerback Josh Jobe has played well when given opportunities, and there are rumors and grumblings that he could be pushing to take Riq Woolen’s starting spot. I don’t expect him to start, but regardless of whether he does or not, he’ll see the field plenty, as the Seahawks spend a ton of time in nickel.

On the other side of the ball, the team will need to find a receiving threat other than Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who carried the group in Week 1. The most likely candidate is Cooper Kupp, but I’m assuming most Steelers fans are familiar with him, and underrated isn’t the word I’d use to describe Kupp at this point in his career. As for the underrated candidates who could step up are a pair of rookies in tight end Elijah Arroyo and receiver Tory Horton

5. The Steelers are currently three-point favorites via FanDuel. What’s your final score prediction, and why?


The Seahawks have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, and while youth and upside comes with excitement and upside potential, it also comes with the risk of a young team starting slow in an early game after a cross country trip, so Steelers 20, Seahawks 17 is my prediction.

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...onnet-mike-macdonald-defense-field-gulls-odds
 
Saturday Night Open Thread: More men in the box

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Live from Delaware, it’s Saturday Night! I, NAS204PSU, am here to bring you this Saturday Night Open Thread (aka SNOT).

The black and gold Jet off easy with a win in Week 1, thanks to 4 TDs from AairRaid Rodgers. Tomorrow, we’ll Seattle in for our home opener against the Seahawks. I guess it’s a Super Bowl XL rematch though everyone from those teams are X-tremely retired.

Our $158 million dollar defense couldn’t stop the run (again) last week, so let’s hope our coaches scheme up some run stuffers and our DL lets up pop the Charbonnet early. If not, the Seahawks may Walker all over us.

This 6 pack of questions is here to get the conversation going is below, also let us know what you’re eating/drinking!

  1. What your favorite play or stat from our victory over the Jets?
  2. Does DK get a “revenge game” TD against the seachickens? If so, how does he do it?
  3. The Steelers D needs to prove they can stop the run (maybe by scheme run stuffing alignments/plays?) What kitchen tool/gadget will best describe our run defense vs the Seahawks?
    1. Colander (everything runs out)
    2. Cheese cloth (stuff runs out but they have to work for it)
    3. Measuring cup (we hold up to a point but then everything runs over)
    4. Mixing Bowl (not much getting out of here)
    5. Giant soup pot (no matter how much they put out we got it covered)
  4. Green Bay looks great 2 games in, sending the Commanders Packing with a loss Thursday night. Did the Micah Parsons trade out Green Bay as the SB favorites out of the NFC? If not, who ya got coming out of the NFC?
  5. Lamar Jackson will not be fined by the NFL for his altercation / shoving of a Bills fan. Do you agree with this or is the league letting one of it star QBs off easy?
  6. Some guys at my work are organizing a “Fall Finger Foods” Monday potluck. Each week, someone brings an app to share in the break room. What is the best dip for chips of the options below?
    1. Classic Salsa
    2. Mango Salsa
    3. French Onion Dip
    4. Sour cream and herb
    5. Buffalo chicken dip
    6. Queso
    7. Other – give a recipe in comments

BONUS: SOTN: Man in the Box by the Alice In Chains

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...aturday-night-open-thread-more-men-in-the-box
 
The Steelers need more from T.J. Watt

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-1, and their defense has been nothing short of abysmal.

This season marks the first time the Steelers have allowed 31+ points in their first two games since 1989, per Gerry Dulac. The Steelers are also 29th in yards per game and have allowed the fourth-most rushing yards through two weeks. On top of that, the Steelers have also allowed the most first-quarter points in the NFL dating back to Week 1 last season.

The defense was supposed to be the strength of the Steelers, as it is usually billed as such. But after the additions of Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, among others, Mike Tomlin said the defense could be “historic.” Well, right now, it’s on pace to be historically bad. And for the highest paid defense in football, it’s more than unacceptable; it’s pathetic.

The man who shoulders the lump of this load, though, is the player making the most money. T.J. Watt was given a three-year, $123 million contract extension in July, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL at the time of signing. He hasn’t lived up to that deal through two games – or even dating back to last season, for that matter.

Watt has now gone six games without a sack, his last one coming back on December 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles. This isn’t to completely discount the plays he made against the run, but the Steelers aren’t paying him $41 million to just get run stops; they expect him to be a major disruptor in the pass game. It would be like paying $100,000 for a Toyota Camry. Good car, but for that kind of money, you expect something much better.

$41 million a season for TJ Watt and he doesn't have a sack in his last 6 games.

I'm sorry that's unacceptable.

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) September 14, 2025

Some may say it’s not fair to single out Watt, as the interior of the defensive line and linebackers have been far worse, and those are valid points. Keeanu Benton, Payton Wilson, and Patrick Queen have all been ghosts through two weeks. However, the point still stands that Watt is getting paid an ungodly amount of money to be a game-wrecking, result-altering player, and he hasn’t looked like one. The Steelers now get ready to head to New England – a place they haven’t won since 2008. With the Patriots’ offense coming off a big game against the Miami Dolphins and looking to get to 2-1 to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills, New England will come out swinging. Watt will be facing rookie left tackle Will Campbell. If he continues to struggle to get to the quarterback, then real trouble is afoot for No. 90.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...-need-more-from-t-j-watt-seattle-seahawks-nfl
 
Week 2 Monday Night Football game thread: Doubleheader edition

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There’s not one, but two Monday Night Football games to close out Week 2 of the NFL season.

First up will be the 1-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking on the 0-1 Texans in Houston at 7 p.m. EST on ABC and ESPN.

At 10 p.m., the 1-0 Los Angeles Chargers will play the 1-0 Raiders in Las Vegas. However, the second game of the doubleheader will only be available on ESPN.

Who will you be rooting for? What will you be watching for? And do you need anyone to step up to win your matchup in fantasy football this week?

Let us know, and enjoy the Week 2 finale here on BTSC.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...ght-football-game-thread-doubleheader-edition
 
Mike Tomlin makes alarming admission after Kaleb Johnson blunder

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The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the more viral blunders in recent NFL history on Sunday in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Kaleb Johnson had a kickoff bounce through his hands, and the ball rolled into the end zone. Johnson clearly assumed that the ball going into the end zone meant the kick resulted in a touchback. Of course, that’s not the rule in the NFL. The Seahawks jumped on the ball for a touchdown to go up 24-14, and that was it for the Steelers, as they never overcame that blunder.

Speaking to the media at his weekly Tuesday press conference, Tomlin was asked if Johnson would be returning kicks anymore.

“Not in the short term,” Tomlin said. The Steelers’ head coach added that he would give Johnson the opportunities to earn back a spot returning kicks. In addition, he was asked about any potential candidates who could replace Johnson, to which he gave an alarming answer.

“I haven’t even begun to address that,” Tomlin said.

Mike Tomlin says he “hasn’t even begun to address” who the Steelers will put back on kickoff return to replace Kaleb Johnson.

Feels like something you should do, Mike.

— Jarrett Bailey (@JBaileyNFL) September 16, 2025

Considering that it’s Tuesday and it’s been two days since the Steelers’ loss, one would think Tomlin would have this near the top of his itinerary.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...larming-admission-after-kaleb-johnson-blunder
 
Steelers Read & React: Who are the Steelers following Week 2’s loss?

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Ask a Yinzer about their beloved Steelers this week, and you’d be forgiven if you came away from the experience believing the sky is falling. Sunday’s 31-17 loss to the Seahawks was both perplexing — thanks mostly to one bizarre and game-altering play involving the NFL’s kickoff rules — and a gut punch to a fanbase whose confidence has perhaps reached an all-time low.

Steelers fans might not always agree on who should be blamed when the team struggles, but one thing is clear: The results haven’t been good enough.

There’s still a ton of season left, and we at Read & React don’t want to go into full-blown panic mode following just one loss. Each one is tough to stomach, and we still think this is a team capable of roughly 10 wins and a playoff spot. That team can course correct and improve as the season goes on.

But considering the general tone and tenor of the fanbase, and the fact that we both have a set of working eyeballs that have witnessed two weeks of 2025 Steelers football, we understand that there are some major early concerns. We thought it would be prudent to pop the hood on what’s been ailing the Steelers so far and share what has us concerned and what we’re hopeful can be improved upon.

What is your biggest cause for concern through two weeks?​

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RP: Put quite simply, I’m worried by the lack of physicality. The Steelers have been dominated in the trenches two weeks in a row, and it’s not like they’ve faced the league’s brightest and best yet.

Let’s start on the offensive side of the ball. In Week 1, no matter which stats you use, the Steelers run game was putrid. Excluding an Aaron Rodgers kneel down, Pittsburgh rushed the ball 19 times for 52 yards (2.7 YPC).

Dive into some of the advanced metrics and it illustrates further how futile the Steelers were at establishing the run: Pittsburgh ball carriers averaged -0.04 yards before contact — indicating they were getting hit behind the line of scrimmage — and averaged -0.1 EPA per rush. Making matters worse, the Steelers only faced a stacked box (eight-plus defenders) on 10% of their rushing attempts, and faced light boxes (six or fewer defenders) on 45% of their attempts.

Things got a little better against Seattle, but the results are still far from what the Steelers will need to be competitive against the top of the AFC. Excluding a three-yard scramble from Aaron Rodgers at the end of the game, the Steelers ran the ball 20 times for 69 yards (3.45 YPC). They improved their average yards before contact to 0.48, but that figure would still rank 28th in the NFL. Pittsburgh’s rushing EPA (-6.1) ranks 23rd in the NFL after two games. Any way you slice it, they’ve been bad.

And that Jets run defense that had Pittsburgh in such a bind in Week 1? It got sliced up by Buffalo’s ground attack, allowing running back James Cook to gain 132 yards on 21 carries and score two touchdowns in Week 2.

Take a look at the Pittsburgh offensive line on film, and a major theme in the Steelers’ struggles becomes clear: they are not a physically imposing unit.

Biggest concern through two weeks has been the trench play. The Steelers are losing the battle on both sides of the ball

OL pic.twitter.com/qndbRrNRuf

— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 16, 2025

Looking at that all on display, you don’t need to be an offensive line play expert to see some of the problems. Too often are Steelers linemen displaying poor pad level, preventing any drive from their legs and allowing themselves to get off balance. Defenders are getting easy access to the chests of the Steelers’ linemen, which allows the defense to dictate the flow of movement.

With the Steelers’ line, the movers are too often the moved. The Steelers have been selling the fanbase on a return to a gritty, ass-kicking style of play that establishes the run and grinds opponents into dust. Unfortunately, they’ve operated like paper weights more often than road graders.

The defensive line is facing similar struggles.

Similar to the offensive line, the defensive line did show some improvement in the underlying numbers from Week 1 to Week 2, but it certainly didn’t feel like it during the flow of the game. In Week 1, the Jets averaged 1.95 yards before contact, and Breece Hall diced up the Steelers for 107 yards at 5.6 yards a pop, while Justin Fields added 48 yards and two scores.

Against Seattle, Sam Darnold posed no rushing threat, and the Steelers did an exceptional job bottling up Zach Charbonnet (15 rushes, 10 yards, 0.7 YPC) just a week after he had looked like Seattle’s best back. However, they had disastrous results against Kenneth Walker (13 carries, 105 yards, 8.1 YPC, and a game-sealing 19-yard touchdown on third-and-goal) who was able to run patiently and exploit cutback lanes all day.

DL pic.twitter.com/BhyjeIeqSC

— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 16, 2025

Like the offense, there are a lot of Steelers defensive linemen putting poor pad level on tape. Keeanu Benton has been in hell through two weeks as opposing teams seem to have keyed onto the fact that sending a double team at him often results in the pile being moved in a big way. Manning the middle of a defense is no easy task, but it’s disheartening that Benton seems to be regressing in his development — and still looks out of position at nose tackle.

It’s going to be a big ask for rookie Derrick Harmon to fix this upon his return. It should help, but he’s still just a rookie and what every Steeler lineman not named Cam Heyward has put on tape should be cause for concern.

Do I think the Steelers can get better and improve as the season goes on? Yes, we did see an incremental step forward for the trenches on both sides of the ball in Week 2, after all. But I’m not taking for granted that improvement isn’t guaranteed.

The Steelers can’t continue to get out-physicaled up front. On offense, it limits what areas of the field the team can access and raises the degree of difficulty of playcall sequencing. On defense, it puts the other units in a bind and only accentuates the mistakes made on the second level.

Which I think sets us up to address your concern, Ryland.

RB: Yep. Ryan’s concern hits on what I would agree is the macro issue for the entire team so far. And to expand on it a bit, it’s also the reason why it’s hard to build too much optimism around the Steelers. Getting consistently bullied that badly in the trenches is not a problem readily fixed by some new techniques or with the limited available personnel options in-season.

The other macro problem I’ve noticed is somewhat related: As I wrote about in my Monday postgame column, the Steelers currently have an overreliance on a veteran-heavy roster with a worrying lack of promising young talent.

To zoom in a bit more, that problem has been most apparent with two youngsters on defense: defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, as Ryan already mentioned, and inside linebacker Payton Wilson.

Wilson has been a popular punching bag in Steelers circles as of late, to the point where I hesitate to pile on. And to be fair to him, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the linebacker was dealing with fatigue and heat-related issues against the Seahawks, to the point where Wilson reportedly vomited in the huddle at one point.

It’s no surprise he wasn’t playing at full go on Sunday. Still, it isn’t cheap pointing out his performance as he demonstrated the same issues he showed in Week 1 and even the preseason. Like Benton, it’s felt like Wilson has almost regressed from his performance a year ago.

After such a promising rookie year in 2024, it’s been rough to watch the uber-talented linebacker fail to take the next step after being given a larger role on defense in 2025.

Because as bad as the Steelers defensive line has been through two weeks, the linebacker play behind them hasn’t done them any favors.

Some football 101: Defensive lines don’t have a body to cover every gap on each given run play, meaning the linebackers have to step in and make stops — especially against zone runs where the running back has the ability to pick where to go.

In Wilson’s case, he’s often getting to the right gap but hesitating to come forward. Instead of making plays, he just gets picked off by the nearest offensive lineman and can’t make much of an impact.

There is an element of hesitation in his game, which is not ideal for a player whose greatest strength is his speed/athleticism pic.twitter.com/lauR07R5Bb

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 17, 2025

Wilson isn’t a thumper of a linebacker. He doesn’t have the play strength to hold up against NFL O-linemen, which isn’t itself a death sentence, but it does mean he has to play to what is his best trait: speed.

That hasn’t been the case through two weeks.

Rough angle on the third and goal 19-yard TD allowed versus the Seahawks on Sunday pic.twitter.com/TfHJXdSzqg

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 17, 2025

He’s still a young player — the game will eventually slow down, right? Sure. But other times it looked like Wilson just doesn’t have the body type or playing style to succeed as an every-down linebacker in the NFL. He was put on the ground a lot against the Seahawks.

In the first play in the video below, it’s exactly that. Wilson gets pancaked by a rookie fullback in what would turn into one of a few Wilson-Queen collisions this season. That’s another problem worth diving into: the Steelers’ top inside linebacker pairing has negative chemistry.

Sometimes it's not enough aggression or a poor reaction/leverage, but other times you have to wonder if it's a body type or fundamental playing style issue.

There are some real concerns regarding Wilson's ability to hold up against the run. He got owned a few times on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/tUqJDMZR8N

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 17, 2025

On the second play, Wilson might get held a bit, but he gets manhandled trying to get back to the cutback lane after slightly over-pursuing. And the final clip has Wilson blitzing and putting up hardly any fight when blocked by a running back. Fortunately, Sam Darnold’s throw would be intercepted by Jalen Ramsey, but it’s a brutally quiet rep for what should be a favorable blocking assignment. Instead, the pocket isn’t pushed at all.

It wasn’t all bad on Sunday. Wilson had a sack when he used his speed to shoot a gap and he showed off his sideline-to-sideline range at times. But when I reviewed his 2024 tape against the run last season (and was generally impressed, to be fair), I wrote that his play could resemble that of a safety at times more than a linebacker.

In 2025, Wilson has gone from a passing-down linebacker to an every-down linebacker, and his playing style hasn’t evolved at all to make the change.

In the passing game there’s a bit more overlap between what Wilson does well and what he’s being asked to do, but he’s still been the culprit at times when Pittsburgh has been targeted over the middle of the field. Wilson wasn’t horrible in coverage versus Seattle, but one play exemplified what’s been a problem for the Pittsburgh linebackers this season: defending play action.

Coverage has had a lot of downs as well. Steelers linebackers are getting killed by play action. Not getting enough depth to affect the play. pic.twitter.com/8UGIwrJ4bh

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 17, 2025

Wilson isn’t horribly late reacting to the run fake, but he ends up covering space, no players, when he switches to coverage — there’s not a single Seahawks receiver near him, and it’s not like Sam Darnold is a threat to run. Instead, Darnold flicks a pass right over Wilson for a chunk gain, something the young linebacker could’ve undercut, or at least contested, with some better awareness.

Wilson is far from a lost cause, but he’s stood out negatively in a drastically underperforming defense so far in 2025. He’s far from the only name to blame, but considering he’s one of the few young, upcoming players on that side of the ball, his 2025 has felt like even more of a letdown.

He still has plenty of intriguing tools and has contributed some good plays this season — his career is far from over. But there have been enough incredibly rough reps that you have to wonder if Wilson can develop into the sort of player the Steelers drafted him to be.

What issue are you most optimistic the Steelers can fix?​

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RB: The return of Derrick Harmon is the first thing I think of when I see this prompt. The Steelers defensive front has been pushed around all season, and getting a first-round talent back in the lineup will certainly help the situation.

In my preseason film room of Harmon’s performance against an excellent Buccaneers offensive line, the takeaway was that the Oregon product wasn’t dominating like he did in college quite yet, but his strength and run defense were already translating to the NFL level.

Held up against combo blocks great all game pic.twitter.com/utat0Gn7nE

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) August 19, 2025

But as Ryan already mentioned, expecting a rookie to come in and clean up what has been a sprawling issue on the Steeler defense is a ridiculously high expectation. Harmon will make things better, certainly, but replacing just one player up front shouldn’t result in massive changes unless multiple other names step up their games.

So, to pivot: Where I have more optimism than I thought I would entering this season is in the Aaron Rodgers-led passing game.

The veteran quarterback actually had a somewhat disappointing performance against the Seahawks, with a few rough reads and continually looking flustered in the pocket.

But Rodgers, despite his age, still somehow has one of the highest ceilings on the Steelers offense. A few of the passes he uncorked against Seattle were nothing short of elite.

This is another bonkers throw by Aaron Rodgers.

The definition of pinpoint accuracy. pic.twitter.com/j5mh2EzZM2

— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) September 15, 2025
Aaron Rodgers arm is still ridiculous pic.twitter.com/4S8lpm9NU3

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) September 15, 2025

Even the short pass that launched the big Jaylen Warren catch-and-run was thrown at a nifty arm angle into a tight window and while running the opposite direction.

Jaylen Warren's 65-yard catch and run was just as impressive on the All-22 pic.twitter.com/zDqgx9hthn

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 16, 2025

I’ll be the first one to tell you that today’s Aaron Rodgers isn’t the same as the multi-MVP winner of the past. But there’s also a reason why he’s largely regarded as one of the best arm talents in NFL history. Even a diminished version of that can still get you good results.

The Steelers’ offensive line troubles and lack of wide receiver depth still have me worried regarding Rodgers — not just that they haven’t done a good job of helping him out, but that you can already see his trust eroding in the rest of the offense. Rodgers looked skittish in some perfectly-usable pockets in Week 2, and that hurt his consistency after a remarkably efficient Week 1.

Ryan and I debated even putting this question in as there aren’t many Steelers issues we feel confident the team will fix right now. Per Next Gen Stats, Rodgers’ 5.7 air yards per attempt are the third-lowest in the NFL, and his play took a noticeable step back from Week 1 to 2. That’s to say, the Steelers’ passing game was one-dimensional against the Jets and only got worse against the Seahawks.

But quarterback remains the most important position on the field, and Rodgers has the most talent there that the Steelers have seen since Ben Roethlisberger. Even if Pittsburgh fails to “fix” much in the offense this season, I believe that Rodgers still has enough in the tank to keep things interesting.

That’s more than we’ve been able to say in years past.

RP: I don’t have any fancy statistics for this take, and I could end up with egg on my face, but I still believe we’re going to get better play from the Steelers’ secondary moving forward.

For starters, the Steelers’ secondary has been one of the more banged-up units on the team. In Week 2, the Steelers were without starting corner Joey Porter Jr. and starting safety DeShon Elliott, which are also the only returning starters from the secondary a year ago. Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Brandin Echols, Jabrill Peppers — they’re all new faces in Pittsburgh and don’t have a ton of experience playing together.

If that sounds like a lame excuse to you, I don’t blame you. But it is the current company line.

Mike Tomlin says his secondary schematics and the concerns around there are 'cohesion-related' because they're new to every player that was starting on the back end a week ago.

So, he's just trying to learn his personnel right now.

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) September 16, 2025

I do believe as fans, it’s easy for us to underestimate how hard it is to get a defense operating fully in sync with one another. But my other reason for cautious — extremely cautious, mind you — optimism is that when I watched back the plays where Seattle generated explosive pass plays, I came away feeling like it was more a case of the offense exploiting the weaknesses in the Steelers’ coverage shells more than a case of players getting beat from poor coverage ability.

I do think a large part of the struggles falls on the scheme. Take, for example, these touchdown passes from Justin Fields and Sam Darnold that are essentially identical, both in the offensive concept and the coverage look provided by the Steelers’ defense.

I think the Steelers secondary can improve. Obviously, through health. But also by adjusting schematically.

Here they get beat on the same concept, in the same coverage look, two weeks in a row. Gotta tighten stuff like this up, stop calling C1 man w outside lev in these looks pic.twitter.com/3crkiN9lnK

— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 16, 2025

In both plays, the Steelers roll out Cover-1 man and shade their corners off the ball with outside leverage. In both instances, the offenses run deep crossing routes that immediately put those cornerbacks in trail, and create conflict when they converge on the safety playing the deep post. This creates a natural obstacle for the defense, and a rub for the receivers, which makes it damn near impossible for at least one of the receivers not to create enough separation. Fields had all day on his throw to Wilson, and Darnold was still able to get this throw off despite the Steelers’ pressure getting home on the play.

The touchdown added insult to injury, at least for this column, as Darnold found rookie Tory Horton — one of my 2025 draft gems and a player Ryland and I took heat for suggesting could have been a more prudent pick for the Steelers than OLB4 Jack Sawyer. Whoops!

It had to be Tory Horton… @RyanParishmedia

— joey (@steelersbyjoey) September 14, 2025
Tory Horton first career TD vs Steelers.

Checking in on @RyanParishmedia and @themicknartin

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 14, 2025

The good news for the Steelers is the upcoming slate of games should give them a chance to figure things out.

  • The Patriots have a talented young quarterback in Drake Maye, but they lack consistent playmakers.
  • The Vikings have the best wide receiver in the game in Justin Jefferson, but in Ireland, they’ll be trotting out either a banged-up and limited J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz, who was nearly out of the league and wasn’t signed to a team until August 24.
  • Joe Flacco and the messy Cleveland offense follow the bye.
  • The Joe Burrow-less Bengals squad is the week after that. If healthy, they still feature a frightening combination of pass catchers, but backup Jake Browning just threw three interceptions against Jacksonville, so hopefully the Steelers will be in a better position to take advantage of that matchup once it rolls around.

On paper, that’s the kind of schedule you’d want for the Steelers to get right. Whether or not they will is a different matter. For now, I’m holding out hope and believing the two interceptions the Steelers generated against Seattle are a sign of things to come.

Is there a Steelers player facing a little too much criticism?​

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RP: The hot topic of discussion this week has been the fanbase and media dogpiling on rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson. There’s no sugar coating it: Johnson’s first two weeks have been largely disappointing.

A fumble on a kick return against the Jets was a rough start, and his kick return gaffe in Week 2 was part of a 14-point swing — with the other half being the Calvin Austin III tipped-ball interception in the endzone on a ball intended for Freiermuth — that ultimately sank the Steelers’ chances of winning.

As a big believer in Johnson, it hasn’t been the outcome I wanted to see, but I can’t help but feel a bit frustrated with how this coaching staff has handled Johnson’s usage.

For starters, I put as much blame on the coaching staff for Johnson’s kick return blunder as I do Johnson. Johnson had just 15 returns in his college career, with 13 of them coming in 2022 when he was a freshman. He had zero return attempts in 2024.

I get why the Steelers tried it. With the new kickoff rules, many teams have compared today’s returns to setting up blocks for the running game. But the Steelers have been among the league’s worst since the changes have been implemented. In 2024, the Steelers returned 25 kicks, the 11th fewest in the league. Pittsburgh had 16 kick returns of 20+ yards (29th) and 0 returns of 40+ yards (T-32nd). The Steelers’ longest kick return went for 35 yards, tied with the Vikings for worst in the league.

Danny Smith is one of the most respected special teams coaches in the league, but he has done little to inspire confidence that the Steelers are going to figure out their kick return woes, and it’s clear Johnson didn’t understand the rules this past weekend. Johnson needs to wear that blunder, but the coaching staff arguably deserves equal blame, and it’s beyond frustrating that this could mean the Steelers second pick of the 2025 draft is further buried on the running back depth chart.

The Steelers have insisted on making Kenneth Gainwell a thing through two weeks, and it’s an odd choice. Gainwell is a fine enough third-down back with his receiving ability, but has done little to add value to the offense as a runner — three of his five carries on Sunday went for one yard or fewer and he had seven rushes for 19 yards in Week 1. Six of Gainwell’s 12 carries have gone for 1 yard or fewer, and he’s also got a fumble on his 2025 ledger. On the season Gainwell is averaging 3.3 YPC. If anything it should be Gainwell, not Johnson, returning kicks as Gainwell has 29 NFL kick returns for 665 yards in his career.

Johnson has been given little opportunity thus far to tote the rock. In my opinion, this is yet again a coaching staff misunderstanding the players they’ve acquired. Johnson isn’t a quick burst runner, but he does have a big body that can wear down defenses and he can get over 20 miles per hour when given a clear runway. That isn’t a skill set that necessarily meshes with kick returns, which often need returns to stop and start as they navigate traffic. For a player that needs his speed to build up, that’s a tough assignment.

Additionally, Johnson was a high volume back in college, and he’s a runner who needs a consistent rhythm of carries to be effective. Giving him a single carry a game is essentially meaningless for his development and the offense at large.

Some of you are likely headed straight to the comment section to tell me how his performance hasn’t warranted the touches, and sure, I don’t have a strong argument against that. Jaylen Warren clearly is the most explosive back the Steelers have at the moment, but I’ll also point out he’s averaging 3.4 YPC, and that much of the Steelers run game woes can be attributed to the offensive line rather than the backs. And it’s not like Gainwell is paying off the Steelers’ early commitment to getting him touches either.

Johnson has just two carries this season so far and he was hit behind the line on both attempts. Nothing makes this clearer than Johnson totaling three yards after contact on the season but having a rushing line of -1 yards. He’s fought an uphill battle on his limited carries, and nothing Gainwell has done has convinced me Johnson couldn’t manage a similar or better stat line with the same volume.

Lastly, I think it’s important to remember Johnson is a rookie, and rookies make mistakes. That’s part of the deal. Good teams don’t bury their young players forever for a mistake, they help their rookies grow from their early struggles. Especially the ones they invested significant draft capital in.

Le’Veon Bell is still discussed with reverence by many Steelers fans as the last elite Pittsburgh running back. I think many of you are conveniently forgetting that Bell’s first season was an ugly one too. Bell missed the first three weeks of his rookie season with injury and he wasn’t exactly a model of efficiency once he returned.

Bell.png

So don’t give up on Kaleb Johnson just yet. I still think he’s going to be a good player for the Steelers in the long run. But it’d be nice if Tomlin and company could play to one of their young players’ strengths for once, rather than telling a fish to climb a tree.

RB: I’ll take a similar route to Ryan by highlighting a player who has definitely disappointed as a whole this season but probably deserves a bit more grace. That would be the other half of the Steelers’ much-maligned inside linebacker duo: Patrick Queen.

Queen has not been good against the pass this season. He was a rough watch all around in Week 1 against the Jets. Don’t take this as an attempt at revisionist history. But the Steelers found a bit of footing in their run defense last week against the Seahawks, and Queen was a major factor in that.

Like Wilson, he’s a speedster at linebacker first who can get tossed around at the line of scrimmage at times. But unlike Wilson, he showed some decisiveness in Week 2 to make a number of splash plays — when defending the run, the difference between the two linebackers was night and day.

It's been far from a perfect season for Patrick Queen, but he put together a lot of splash plays against the run against the Seahawks.

Definitely a step in the right direction in Week 2. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/4gC8AY6pCM

— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) September 17, 2025

And like Wilson, Queen wasn’t at full strength against the Seahawks, dealing with a rib injury and clearly in pain.

I’ve been very critical of the Steelers’ inside linebacker room so far this season, to the point where I wouldn’t be surprised if the team elevates recent practice squad signing Ja’Whaun Bentley to the active roster ahead of Week 3’s game against the New England Patriots. And as I pointed out in the Payton Wilson segment, Queen has looked incredibly undisciplined at times, especially defending the pass.

But after a rough showing in Week 1, Queen deserves credit for turning up the heat against the run against the Seahawks. As we’ve been saying all article: Pittsburgh’s issues don’t appear close to being fixed. But Queen did make some major strides in Week 2.

Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. What’s your biggest worry for the 2025 Steelers? Can they fix it? Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section or on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or email us at [email protected].

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...b-johnson-offensive-defensive-line-read-react
 
Steelers Injury Report: Derrick Harmon getting close to full return

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The Pittsburgh Steelers will face off against the New England Patriots in Week 3 – a team they haven’t had much success against over the last 25 years. In doing so, they will hope to get a bit healthier on the defensive side of the ball, and they saw one of their biggest pieces take the practice field for the first time this season.

Rookie Derrick Harmon was back at practice for the first time since suffering an MCL sprain against the Carolina Panthers. The rookie out of Oregon is hoping to make his NFL debut this week, and this was a good first step to getting there. The rest of the injury report is as follows:

  • LB Patrick Queen: Full Participant (Oblique)
  • CB Darius Slay: Did Not Practice (Rest)
  • CB Joey Porter Jr.: Did Not Practice (Hamstring)
  • S DeShon Elliott: Did Not Practice (Knee)
  • LB Alex Highsmith: Did Not Practice (Ankle)
  • OL Max Scharping: Limited Participant (Knee)
  • LB T.J. Watt: Did Not Practice (Rest)
  • DT Derrick Harmon: Limited Participant (Knee)

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...t-derrick-harmon-getting-close-to-full-return
 
Steelers DC Teryl Austin says defense was ‘f—king bad’ vs Seahawks

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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been one of the worst in the NFL over the first two weeks of the NFL season. They are allowing the fifth-most rushing yards per game and the second-most passing yards per play. Additionally, they are leading the NFL in missed tackle percentage.

The pass defense has been especially under fire over the last week. The Seattle Seahawks beat Pittsburgh on the exact same concept in which the New York Jets scored in Week 1. The Steelers were playing a condensed cover-1 look with man-coverage shading to the outside. Both teams ran double crossing routes, causing the safety to have to pick which receiver to follow. Both times, Justin Fields and Sam Darnold threw touchdown passes.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin was asked how they can avoid that happening again.

“Not to do that sh*t,” Austin said. “That sh*t was f—king bad .”

Austin added that the team went over that play during practice leading up to Week 2, and that it angered him even more that they got beaten on it again.

Steelers DC Teryl Austin with the quote of the day on the secondary getting beat on the same play two weeks in a row (deep crossers) for touchdowns.

"Not to do that shit. That shit was fucking bad ."

Austin said they addressed the play during the week, and they still messed it… pic.twitter.com/5L4NiGZR9j

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) September 18, 2025

The Patriots rank eighth in the NFL in EPA per pass. Drake Maye won’t be an easy matchup for this defense that has struggled to slow down Justin Fields and Sam Darnold.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...gland-patriots-seattle-seahawks-new-york-jets
 
Aaron Rodgers believes in Steelers running game, offensive line

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The Steelers are 1-1 following a 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the home opener at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh is back on the road this week against the New England Patriots, a place the franchise hasn’t won since 2008.

Arthur Smith’s offense is 30th in rushing, averaging 62.5 yards per game through two contests.

Jaylen Warren owns 85 total rushing yards and is pacing at a 3.4 yards-per-carry average. Aaron Rodgers has been sacked seven times, and the Steelers need improvement from their ground attack to open up play action and help their 41-year-old captain.

What does Rodgers want to see in the run game?

“10+ yard runs,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s what Pat (Meyer) wants to see and what Mike T and Art (Smith) want to see.”

The Steelers are converting 36% on third down, and Rodgers wants to see Warren and Kenneth Gainwell reach the second level to break explosive runs.

“We’ve seen our backs on secondary players has been a good matchup for us,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers is a fan of Warren, who earned a two-year extension through 2027.

“He’s a quiet guy,” Rodgers said. “He’s kind of what I thought from afar. The biggest compliment I can give him is that when you’re behind a four-straight 1,000-yard rusher, you’re seen as a change-up back. He’s a guy who could be a No. 1 back on any team in the league. Really thankful for him.

“The play that he had the other day was one of the greatest catch-and-runs I’ve seen,” Rodgers said.

Jaylen Warren went crazy on this catch and run 🔥

SEAvsPIT on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/fKSeR78pKg

— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025

Rodgers compared it to a catch Donald Driver made with the Packers in 2009 when Driver pushed past a defender at the five-yard line to reach the end zone.

Mike Tomlin stood behind his offensive line on Tuesday, saying he feels “great” about the line and that Broderick Jones played “significantly better” in Week 2. Rodgers echoed the same sentiments on Wednesday.

“I feel great about the offensive line,” Rodgers said.

PFF graded four of the Steelers’ five offensive lineman below a 60 grade for their performance on Sunday. Left tackle Broderick Jones earned a 47.9 overall grade, the lowest of all five starters.

Right tackle Troy Fautanu (50.1), left guard Isaac Seumalo (53.5), and right guard Mason McCormick (58.1) all ranked below 60; and center Zach Frazier (66.2) wasn’t much better, ranking as the 18th-best center in the NFL.

Despite the struggles and concerns, Rodgers isn’t panicking. The four-time MVP is looking for alternatives and still believes in the Steelers current personnel.

“Our backs are slippery enough. We have to get them up to the second level clean,” Rodgers said. “It’s not always on the line, sometimes combination blocks, sometimes the tracks. We just have to be perfect with our execution. If the track is supposed to be a certain way, let’s run that track.”

The Steelers play New England at 1 p.m. Sunday and have lost eight of their last nine to the Patriots, who lead the league in sacks (nine) through two games. It will be up to the Steelers’ offensive line to protect Rodgers and create space for the running game to earn a win against Mike Vrabel and an improved defense in Foxboro on Sunday.

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...ieves-in-steelers-running-game-offensive-line
 
Steelers Injury Report: Joey Porter OUT vs. Patriots

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The Pittsburgh Steelers held their final practice ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the New England Patriots, and they will be without multiple defensive starters.

Both Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott have been ruled out for Week 3. Porter is recovering from a hamstring injury, and Elliott has an injured knee. Both suffered their respective injuries in Week 1 against the New York Jets. The good news is that Derrick Harmon was a full participant and is listed as questionable. The full injury report is as follows:

  • S DeShon Elliott: DNP, Out (Knee)
  • CB Joey Porter Jr.: DNP, Out (Hamstring)
  • LB Alex Highsmith: DNP, Out (Ankle)
  • OL Max Scharping: DNP, Out (Knee)
  • WR DK Metcalf: FP (Rest)
  • LB Patrick Queen: FP (Oblique)
  • CB Darius Slay: FP (Rest)
  • LB T.J. Watt: FP (Rest)
  • DT Derrick Harmon: FP, Questionable (Knee)

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...ers-injury-report-joey-porter-out-vs-patriots
 
Latest Steelers roster move may spell bad news for Kaleb Johnson

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting set to face the New England Patriots in Week 3 of the 2025 season in Foxborough. Ahead of that, though, they have made a pair of roster moves.

The Steelers have put offensive lineman Max Scharping on the reserve/injured list. In response to that, Pittsburgh has elevated running back Trey Sermon to the 53-man roster.

This news doesn’t bode well for rookie running back Kaleb Johnson, who had a severe special teams gaffe in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks that led to Seattle scoring a touchdown. With the elevation of Sermon, the speculation is that Johnson could be a healthy scratch.

Sermon was on the Steelers’ practice squad after a solid preseason. He spent 2024 with the Indianapolis Colts, running for two touchdowns.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!


Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...-spell-bad-news-for-kaleb-johnson-trey-sermon
 
Saturday Night Open Thread: That was weak too

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Live from Delaware, it’s Saturday Night! I, NAS204PSU, am here to bring you this Saturday Night Open Thread (aka SNOT).

The black and gold are black and blue after losing to the Seahawks in Week 2, we got in own own way (looking at you CA3), and let the opportunity bounce past us (Kaleb Johnson). Tomorrow, we’ll face a former nemesis in the Cheatriots, though it sure don’t look like Brady’s bunch anymore.

Our $158-million dollar defense couldn’t stop the run (again) last week. Let’s hope our new Peppers stuff the run so we can slay the dragon. Otherwise, we Maye end up 1-2.

This 6 pack of questions is here to get the conversation going is below, also let us know what you’re eating/drinking!

1. Which play/event was most responsible for a big L in our result column last week?

  • Calvin Austin getting in the way of a Muth needed TD
  • Kaleb Johnson’s Elsa impression, letting it go for a Seahawk kickoff recovery TD (still don’t think it was recovered in bounds)
  • Tomlin’s living in his fears punting on 4th-1 on our 48 yard line tied 14-14
  • Art Rooney extending Tomlin in 2024
  • With the 14th pick in the 2024 draft, the Steelers select Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia (after trading 17th + 4th rounder to NE)
  • Colbert trading our 2020 1st rounder for Minkah Fitzpatrick , (Jordan Love was on the board, just saying)

2. Which player’s injury will prove to be most significant against the Patriots?

  • Joey Porter Jr.
  • Alex Highsmith
  • DeShon Elliot
  • Derrick Harmon
  • Isaiahh Loudermilk

3. The Steelers OL needs to give Aaron some time to pass and make some holes for Jaylen Warren and the run game. What item will be describe the OL performance in week 3?

  • Party noise maker (tries to push but doesn’t do much against resistance)
  • Power wheels (doesn’t have much traction or power, but can hit things)
  • Sedan with cardboard “plow” (takes a beating but can kinda move some stuff)
  • Pickup with a plow (sometimes gets stuck, but generally can move things outta the way)
  • Bulldozer (pushes anything around it wants)

4. Which of these backup NFL QBs will lead their team to victory in Week 3? (Assuming they end up starting).

  • Tyrod Taylor (Jets) vs Bucs
  • Jake Browning (Bengals) vs Vikings
  • Carson Wentz (Vikings) vs Bengals
  • Mac Jones (49ers) vs Cardinals
  • Marcus Mariota (Commanders) vs DAH Raiders

5. WAP-per Cardi B and *Patriots WR Stefon Diggs are expecting their first child together. Do you think they end up asking “Am I the Drama?” or will it be a “Ring” in their future? (Note: yes I am running out of question ideas)

6. What is your favorite way to prepare steak (or the equivalent main dish from your diet)

BONUS SOTN (because it’s *Cheatriots week): It Wasn’t Me by Shaggy

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c.../saturday-night-open-thread-that-was-weak-too
 
Week 3 Sunday tailgating open thread: Steelers at Patriots

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Week 3 is here for everyone who can’t wait for more NFL games.

The *Patriots host our Steelers at 1 p.m. EST on CBS. Hoping for a rebound win after some embarrassing mistakes in last week’s loss.

You can view the all-important Week 3 NFL broadcast map per 506 Sports HERE. Also on the early NFL slate:

  • Cincinnati @ Minnesota
  • Houston @ Jacksonville
  • Indianapolis @ Tennessee
  • LA Rams @ Philadelphia
  • NY Jets @ Tampa Bay
  • Green Bay @ Cleveland
  • Las Vegas @ Washington
  • Atlanta @ Carolina

Are you firing up the grill/smoker for some game day treats while you watch the Black and Gold? What other early games are you checking in on? Who ya got in fantasy?

Week 3 here we go!

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...y-tailgating-open-thread-steelers-at-patriots
 
Lions at Ravens: Week 3 Monday Night Football game thread

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This week’s Monday Night Football matchup looks like a good one.

While the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens are each 1-1 to open the 2025 regular season, each entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations. And each of their losses have come to consensus Lombardi contenders, as well.

Something tells me everyone on this website will be rooting for the same team tonight. But what will you be watching for, and are there any fantasy football scenarios playing out tonight?

Let us know, and enjoy the Week 3 finale here on BTSC.

Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...vens-week-3-monday-night-football-game-thread
 
Latest statistic summarizes Steelers poor defensive start

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It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has struggled mightily to begin the season. After allowing 32 points to Justin Fields and the New York Jets, plus 31 points to the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium, the defense began to turn the page.

Pittsburgh forced five turnovers and allowed 14 points in New England to secure a 21-14 win. The Steelers compiled two fumbles with the Patriots inside the red zone, and began the game with a fumble recovery on New England’s opening drive. However, the defense is still ranked near the bottom of the NFL in every major statistical category.

Mike Tomlin’s defense is 29th in total yards (399.7), 26th in passing yards (246.7), tied for 27th in rushing yards (139.3), and 23rd in points (25.7).

DEFENSE WITH ANOTHER HUGE PLAY‼️

📺: #PITvsNE on @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/UcSV1Oax6D

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 21, 2025

The stats are nowhere near acceptable for the highest-paid defense in the NFL by over $20 million, and being paid over $160 million.

On Monday, Steelers beat writer Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live pointed out a troubling trend for the defense.

Identifying success rate for opposing offenses, the Steelers’ defense has the worst success rate on 3rd and 4th down of any team in the league.

The Steelers are allowing a 60% success rate combined on 3rd and 4th down, per Farabaugh. Pittsburgh is doing a better job on 1st and 2nd down, but the average 3rd down opponents are facing is 3rd and 7… and teams are still converting.

When you sort by success rate, there is not a worse late down defense (3rd and 4th downs) in the NFL than the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Allowing an absurd 60% success rate in those situations.

And the average 3rd down yards to go for them is over 7 yards!

Insane.

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) September 22, 2025

It’s not like the Steelers have faced the Bills, Ravens, Lions, and Buccaneers. The defense was pushed around by a quarterback the Steelers let go in free agency, Sam Darnold (who I’m high on), playing for his fifth team, and young Drake Maye.

New England converted 6-of-13 3rd downs (46.2%) and were 4-of-5 (80%) on 4th down. The Patriots were held out of the end zone thanks to multiple turnovers, but earned 369 total yards and ran for 119.

The Steelers have allowed over 100 yards rushing in each of the first three games.

Pittsburgh plays the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EST. The Vikings offense will be led by Carson Wentz, with JJ McCarthy nursing an injury. Minnesota is 28th in the NFL on third down (31.4%), but scored 48 points against Cincinnati and went 4-for-12 on the possession down at home in the domination of the Bengals on Sunday.

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...stic-summarizes-steelers-poor-defensive-start
 
Steelers injury report: DeShon Elliott, Joey Porter Jr. nearing return

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Following their 21-14 road win over the New England Patriots, Mike Tomlin revealed good news, stating there were “no significant injuries to mention.” Broderick Jones and Darius Slay were banged up, but both finished the game.

However, they were missing three defensive starters in the contest — DeShon Elliott (knee), Joey Porter Jr. (hamstring), and Alex Highsmith (ankle).

During his weekly Tuesday afternoon press conference, Tomlin provided multiple updates on the injury front via the team’s YouTube channel.

“You can characterize Alex Highsmith as out this week with his ankle,” Tomlin said. “Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott certainly have a chance.”

Tomlin stated the quality of their participation this week will determine if they play. He also mentioned that the “amount of their participation” will be monitored in-game, similar to Derrick Harmon last week, who made his season debut on a snap count.

Tomlin acknowledged that Slay suffered “a leg contusion” against the Patriots, but that doesn’t make his availability a question mark.

“It might slow [Slay] at the early portions of the week, but expect him to be available for us as we push forward toward game time. “

The Steelers will head to Dublin, Ireland, this weekend to take on the Minnesota Vikings in the first-ever regular-season NFL matchup played in Ireland, and it appears that some of their key starters will likely work their way back.

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...hon-elliott-and-joey-porter-jr-nearing-return
 
Steelers try out retired offensive lineman after season-ending injury to guard

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The Steelers worked out offensive lineman Nate Herbig on Tuesday, per reports from multiple Pittsburgh beat writers.

The Steelers hosted OL Nate Herbig for a workout.

Herbig retired this summer, but seems he may have made an exception here.

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) September 23, 2025

Herbig should be a familiar face to most Steelers fans. He’s the older brother of current Steelers pass rusher Nick Herbig, and he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in Pittsburgh. He appeared in 17 games and started two in 2023, missing all of 2024 with injury. He notably petitioned Pittsburgh to draft his younger brother ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Nate Herbig went undrafted in 2019 out of Stanford, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He ended up playing in 33 games as an Eagle with 17 starts before joining the New York Jets in 2022 and starting 11 games. After his Steelers stint, he signed with the Washington Commanders but retired in July.

Although listed at guard, Herbig has center versatility and challenged Zach Frazier for the starting job ahead of the 2024 season.

Now, it appears that Herbig is interested in restarting his football career. And after putting offensive lineman Max Scharping on injured reserve, Pittsburgh has an open roster spot.

Source: https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...x-scharping-offensive-line-tryout-workout-nfl
 
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