Steelers Now
Former Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians ripped the Pittsburgh Steelers run defense during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday.
The Steelers once again got gashed on the ground in Sunday’s 31-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle rushed for 117 yards on 29 carries (4.0 average). Kenneth Walker III led the Seahawks with 105 yards rushing on 13 carries for a whopping 8.1 average and a touchdown.
It’s the second straight week that the Steelers have allowed over 100 yards rushing. The New York Jets racked up 182 yards (4.7 average) in Week 1.
Overall, the Steelers defense has left a lot to be desired in the first two weeks.
The Steelers have allowed 31+ points in the first two weeks of a season for the first time since 1989. Last year, the defense allowed 30 points twice all season.
Arians served as a wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator with the Steelers from 2004-2011, so he knows all about the Steelers long history of smashing the run game.
“That was the hardest watch for me on Sunday,” Arians said. “To watch that defense, knowing that Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith and James Harrison, all these guys that had played in that defense for all the years, going back to Joe [Greene] and the rest of the guys. They get stoned by a fullback, and both linebackers get knocked down, safety can’t make the tackle. Seattle just ran it down their throats at home.”
"The Steelers defense was the hardest watch for me on Sunday..
They're not stopping anybody in the run game right now" ~ @BruceArians #PMSLive https://t.co/ovskmjROF8 pic.twitter.com/Z9yiNeGhkt
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 16, 2025
Inside linebacker Payton Wilson has been a big liability in the first two games. He got blasted by Seahawks fullback Robbie Ouzts on the play that Arians referenced.
Robbie Ouzts absolutely dominates Payton Wilson, leading to a 20-yard run by K9, who looked great out there. Finished Week 2 with:
– 8.1 YPC
– 4.2 YAC per attempt
– +8.6 rushing EPA
– 34 RYOE pic.twitter.com/YQCYxQfqg9— William Herman (@_williamherman) September 15, 2025
The Steelers have a massive problem on defense with teams running away from T.J. Watt. The New York Jets and Seahawks averaged 6.0 yards on 34 rushes running away from Watt. When running to Watt’s side, the Jets and Seahawks averaged 2.5 yards on 13 carries.
“I think some of it is scheme, some of it is reading press clippings,” Arians said. “They can’t stop the run, then T.J. and [Alex] Highsmith can’t tee off. They’re the finishers. But you gotta stop ’em first to be able to finish. And they’re not stopping anybody in the running game right now.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Super Bowl Champion HC Rips Steelers’ Run Defense: ‘Hardest Watch for Me on Sunday’
