The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the NFL’s best tackling defenses this season. But that’s been far from the truth for Mike Tomlin’s team the past two weeks.
The Steelers missed 20 tackles versus the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. They missed plenty more against the Baltimore Ravens in a matchup that could have given the Steelers the AFC North title.
But instead of capturing the division crown, the Steelers lost 34-17 to their archrival.
After the defeat, Tomlin made reporters know that he is aware his defense has experienced issues with tackling opposing players the past couple weeks.
“It’s concerning, certainly,” Tomlin said. “We’ve got to be better.
To get back on track from a tackling perspective, Tomlin added that they have to get “back to the lab.”
With the Steelers defense struggling to tackle, Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 162 yards. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Henry had seven runs of at least 10 yards, including a 44-yard gain in the second half.
The Steelers struggled to tackle on special teams as well. The Ravens recorded a 16-yard punt return in the first quarter to help set up their first touchdown.
Mike Tomlin’s Steelers Missing a Lot of Tackles
Pittsburgh’s defensive tackling concerns actually date back a few games prior to the team’s two-game losing streak. According to Steelers Depot, in Week 14 versus the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers missed 11 tackles. They also had 11 missed tackles in the Week 12 showdown versus the Browns.
The official missed tackle report from Week 16 has yet to be released as of the morning of December 22. But according to the FOX Sports broadcast, Henry forced at least 10 missed tackles on his own.
The missed tackles against the Ravens allowed Baltimore to control the game on the ground. Against the Eagles, Philadelphia converted 10 of 17 third-down attempts in part because of Steelers missed tackles.
With Pittsburgh’s defense struggling to bring down opposing players, the unit allowed 400 yards in back-to-back games for the first time since 2019.
Tomlin stressing the need to get back to the fundamentals in “the lab” is probably the best solution to the issue. But the Steelers don’t have much time for the lab before their next game.
The Steelers will host the Kansas City Chiefs three days after facing the Ravens.
Steelers Miss Safety DeShon Elliott
Without much time for practice, the best way for the Steelers to solve their tackling issues may simply be the return of their injured defenders.
In Week 16, the Steelers were missing three defensive starters, including safety DeShon Elliott. According to the Pro Football Focus player grades, Elliott has been the best tackler on the Steelers defense this season.
The Steelers ruled out Elliott on December 19 because of a hamstring injury. However, he did practice in limited fashion during the team’s last practice session prior to Week 16.
Elliott returning on a short week will be difficult. But if he manages to dress, that will be a significant lift for the Steelers defense.
Cornerback Donte Jackson and defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi also didn’t play in Week 16. Then in the first half, fellow starting cornerback Joey Porter Jr. exited with a knee injury.
Jackson and Ogunjobi were questionable entering the December 21 contest versus Baltimore.
