Stampede Blue
The “Steel Curtain” from the seventies is showing its age in 2025 as the once vaunted defense from Pittsburgh is in need of some patch work. Unfortunately for them, they are facing a pair of shears in the Indianapolis Colts offense. Daniel Jones and co. are currently on a tear and are taking no prisoners during the first eight weeks of the NFL season. With the offense performing as well as some of the best offenses of all time, the Steelers could be in real danger as they play host in week nine.
Let’s start with the numbers. Pittsburgh is 30th in yards allowed coming in at 386 per game. That is bad and shows they are getting shredded all over the field. What number could be worse? Well, how about the fact that they are 32nd against the pass giving up 273. If you are keeping track at home, 32nd out of 32 teams means that defense is dead last in the NFL against the pass. Pittsburgh has lost two straight, surrendering 342-yards to the well traveled veteran Joe Flacco and then followed that up with 360-yards to Jordan Love on Sunday Night Football.
To make matters worse, the Steelers haven’t simply ignored their defense. Jarrett Bell of USA Today sighted Sporatic.com which outlines how much the defense is valued.
…no team in the NFL has invested as much of its salary cap this season on its defense than the Steelers, with a $120.283 million allocation. For cash expenditures, it’s the second-most expensive defense in the league with a tab of $151.4 million.
To pile on to the recent woes, starting safety DeShon Elliott was placed on IR after the Packers loss. That makes a porous defense that much more susceptible to giving up big yardage.
Look. We all know the story for the Colts’ offense this year. Jones is reviving his career in a major way. Jonathan Taylor is hearing MVP chants. Michael Pittman Jr. is making bicep catches while Alec Piece hauls in bombs and Josh Downs twitches into open space for first downs. The rookie of the year might be on the roster in Tyler Warren, and the offensive line is creating holes that I could run through for ten yard gains. Everything is clicking for the offense. They have to be licking their chops eyeing this Steelers’ defense.
Could the Steelers stiffen on Sunday and shut down the Colts? Absolutely. Would it be very strange to see? It sure would. More concerning should be the defensive side for the Colts and whether they can contain Aaron Rodgers and his offense. This one could turn into a track meet. Based on the first eight weeks, my money is on the Colts to win that type of game. When an unstoppable force meets a highly moveable object, it could result in a major offensive beatdown.
