Bucky Brooks: ‘Excuses Are Off’ For Steelers Not To Have ‘Championship’ Protection

Ben Roethlisberger helped the Pittsburgh Steelers area some nice offenses. Nonetheless, it’s been some time since he’s been underneath heart for them. Over the previous few years, protection has been the identify of the Steelers’ recreation as soon as once more. That unit has carried them to a number of wins, whereas their offense has sputtered. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh’s protection hasn’t been good, dealing with its personal share of struggles. Bucky Brooks mentioned the Steelers higher not have any main points defensively this season.

“You’re paying massive cash to T.J. Watt,” Brooks mentioned lately on Bleav’s YouTube channel. “You’re paying massive cash to Jalen Ramsey, who’s on the again finish. You’ve an enormous cash free agent in Patrick Queen that you simply signed a yr in the past who has to rise up and going and enjoying at a dominant degree.

“Championship defenses have dominant playmakers in any respect three ranges. Once I’m wanting on the three ranges, Watt on the line of scrimmage, Queen on the second degree, after which Jalen Ramsey, all the reasons are off for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

The Steelers’ protection is filled with expertise. Watt, Queen, and Ramsey have all been All-Professionals. Cam Heyward and Darius Slay are older, however they might nonetheless each be main contributors. Heyward particularly was nonetheless elite final yr.

Pittsburgh doesn’t simply have stars on its protection, both. The Steelers even have strong complementary items, corresponding to Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr., and DeShon Elliott.

The query can be if the Steelers’ new items can match collectively. Final season was Queen’s first in Pittsburgh, and he didn’t play on the degree many anticipated of him. Ramsey and Slay may very well be in for the same studying curve, which could trigger some rising pains for the Steelers.

Expertise wasn’t a problem for the Steelers’ protection final yr. Nonetheless, that didn’t cease them from wanting dysfunctional to finish the season. After weeks of strong play, miscommunication and missed tackles abruptly plagued them. The group appeared misplaced, and nobody had any solutions. That led to a different early playoff exit for the Steelers.

This yr, it’s robust to examine the Steelers successful the Tremendous Bowl, principally due to the questions surrounding their offense. Nonetheless, like Brooks says, their protection has a possibility to boost their ceiling. If that unit can play to its full potential, the Steelers may very well be an actual menace within the playoffs. On paper, they must be among the many NFL’s finest. They must make {that a} actuality, although.