The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the final week of the 2024 regular season, and with it being the team’s latest game fans’ hopes remain high heading into the final stretch of the season. The hope is there is a winning performance on the horizon on Saturday in Week 18 when the team hosts the Cincinnati Bengals.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to on defense to claim their eleventh victory of 2024? Let’s break it down…

Defense

Eliminate Communication Issues

It has been a while since the Steelers defense didn’t look like chickens running around with their heads cut off prior to the snap of the football. Whether it’s the linebackers communicating to the front, or the secondary communicating with each other, throughout the injuries to the likes of DeShon Elliott and Joey Porter Jr., communication has been a huge issue. We are heading into Week 18, not Week 8, and these type of issues should be a thing of the past. With Elliott and Porter back in the lineup, there are any excuses for these things continuing.

Take It Away Again

The Steelers have thrived on timely takeaways this season, but those have certainly dried up during this 3-game losing streak. They had two against the Eagles, one against the Ravens, and were unable to get a takeaway vs. the Chiefs. It isn’t as if they haven’t had opportunities. In the last two games they have forced 4 fumbles, but haven’t recovered one. I find it difficult to always blame players for not recovering fumbles, considering it literally is how the ball bounces. Mark Robinson creates a special teams fumble vs. Kansas City and it bounces directly to a Chiefs player. How is that the fault of the Steelers? But when you look at the dropped interception by Patrick Queen, it’s those plays which need to be made.

It’s time for the Steelers defense to rise up once again and prove they are the same team who lead the NFL in takeaways at one point. Just have to take care of the opportunities when they present themselves.

Actually Don’t Break

Just like I did on the offensive keys to victory, season averages can be deceiving. Let’s look at how the Steelers’ “bend, don’t break” defense has broken more than bent in the last 5 games:

• at CIN – 38
• vs CLE – 14
• at PHI – 27
• at BAL – 34
• vs. KC – 29

If you do the averages, that’s averaging 28.4 points per game during the last five games. As Dave Schofield wrote for SCN this past week, the Steelers have been dominated in the final 20 minutes of every game during this losing streak. In other words, the defense has been broken. Can they stop this trend and keep the Bengals high-profile offense near 20 points? If so, that would be a huge boost of confidence for this beleaguered unit heading into the postseason. With only Donte Jackson questionable for the game, there are no more excuses for these type of breakdowns.

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!