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Mark Madden: Injuries turned Steelers defense into weakness, and offense just stinks

Mark Madden
| Monday, September 20, 2021 9:46 a.m.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
The Steelers’ Tyson Alualu is helped off the field after he was hurt against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, at Heinz Field.

The Steelers should fire their groin coach.

Inside linebacker Devin Bush and cornerback Joe Haden weren’t available for Sunday’s home loss to Las Vegas because of bad groins. Edge rusher T.J. Watt left before halftime with a groin problem. Nose tackle Tyson Alualu’s malaise is a bit more tangible: He broke his ankle. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt is out indefinitely with a bum knee.

Just like that, the Steelers’ elite defense became a weakness.

The pass rush vanished without Watt: Just one sack after his departure.

Defensive end Cameron Heyward was invisible after dominating Week 1’s win at Buffalo. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick tried to be everywhere and ended up not being anyplace, not least on Henry Ruggs’ 61-yard touchdown catch that gave Vegas a 23-14 lead with 9:35 remaining.

Depth will be a problem for just about every team in a 32-team league that uses a salary cap. But the Steelers have a truly rotten second string, even on defense.

The defensive backs were garbage sans Haden: Rookie Tre Norwood fell back to earth after a great debut at Buffalo. James Pierre lived up to his non-pedigree as an undrafted free agent. Justin Layne keeps betraying his pedigree as a third-round pick. He is a bust. He can’t play a lick. Seattle made Ahkello Witherspoon available just before the season started for a reason.

Vegas quarterback Derek Carr threw for 382 yards and two touchdowns, making it look easy. Heck, it didn’t just look easy. It was. No pressure, bad coverage.

The front three is now Heyward plus enhancement talent.

Robert Spillane deputized for Bush and led the Steelers in tackles. But that’s because he’s no good, and Vegas went right at him. Spillane also took a dumb 15-yard penalty when he used his helmet to hit Carr.

Who knows how many of the groin gang will be available for Sunday’s home game against Cincinnati? It might be none.

Watt’s injury is frustrating; $80 million guaranteed doesn’t buy what it used to.

Watt can’t be blamed. He doesn’t want to be injured.

But his quick exit less than two games after signing his huge contract lends credence to the notion that Watt could follow in the limping footsteps of his brother J.J., whose body started falling apart at 27, T.J.’s age now. The Steelers should have made T.J. play out the final year of his rookie contract, then franchised him next season. That’s already proving correct.

But T.J.’s passive holdout and absence from fully practicing during camp can’t be blamed for his groin injury. Bush and Haden were full participants. Their groins also buckled.

The demise of the defense is because of injuries.

The offense just plain stinks. No excuses. It won’t get better, either.

The offensive line is every bit as bad as billed, maybe worse. In retrospect, it made no sense to draft running back Najee Harris in the first round to run behind a line this bad. Harris has zero room. He occasionally makes space on his own or gets the rare decent block, but not often.

Ben Roethlisberger got hit 10 times Sunday. The offense likely will revisit last year’s shotgun/quick release format, which has an expiration date but keeps Roethlisberger alive. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada will be just another bobo.

By midseason, the Steelers will regret bringing Roethlisberger back. He will, too.

There isn’t a No. 1 receiver. They’re all No. 2 and 3 receivers. Chase Claypool has potential beyond that, but he’s often unfocused as per his two costly drops vs. Vegas. Diontae Johnson is a solid possession receiver, but he injured his knee on the game’s last play Sunday.

What was Johnson doing on the field, let alone catching the ball? The game was lost.

The loss was vintage Mike Tomlin. He wins games he shouldn’t but loses games he shouldn’t. A home loss to Vegas negates a win at Buffalo.

Injuries provide a convenient excuse for Sunday. But the Steelers have been inconsistent and undisciplined for years.

Guard Trai Turner was ejected for spitting on a foe. Tomlin defended him.

Turner’s actions are indefensible and inexcusable. But Tomlin always sides with the player. No Steeler is ever supposed to know an unpleasant moment.

Not beyond losing at home when they’re favored by 6½ against a team that played Monday night and traveled cross-country. And a bunch of hurt groins, too.

You people wouldn’t understand that. You don’t have groins.


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