T.J. Watt admits Steelers 'don't have a kick-ass defensive group,' Pittsburgh's defense implodes in loss to Bills

T.J. Watt admits Steelers 'don't have a kick-ass defensive group,' Pittsburgh's defense implodes in loss to Bills originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Folllowing a strong start to the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have now dropped three of their last four games.

They couldn’t get anything going on either side of the field in their 26-7 home loss to the Buffalo Bills, especially in the second half.

That’s why, after falling to 6-6 for the season, star pass rusher T.J. Watt had a brutally honest assessment about the state of the defense:

“We just need to look within,” Watt told the media. “We talk about the talent that we have, we talk about everything that we have, but right now, we don’t have a kick-ass defensive group. And that’s all that I can speak on.”

Even Watt has failed to play up to his usual standards this season. He had just two pressures against the Bills’ decimated offensive line, which was missing its two starting tackles, and he’s up to 7.0 sacks for the season, his lowest total since his injury-shortened 2022-23 season.

Watt was also critical of the team’s inability to make adjustments, as the Bills kept going at them with the same plays because they just kept working:

"Play-making is what sets things off." Watt said. "Not making plays, it sucks. We need to find ways to be able to make plays. I mean I've never seen a team run the same play as much as [the Bills] ran it tonight and have as much success as they had. I mean, I'm out of words for it."

Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have lost their identity

The Steelers are currently giving up 24.1 points per game, which ranks 20th in the league. They’re also allowing the fourth-most total yards (382.4) and passing yards (247.4) per game, all while allowing successful third-down conversions 43.6 percent of the time, the fourth-worst mark in the league.

Coach Tomlin had a reputation for being a defensive specialist, yet his team has given up at least 25 points in all but four games this season.

Things aren’t much better on the other side of the field. Once known for their prowess on the ground, the Steelers average the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game this season (93.8), with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers doing most of the heavy lifting.

The Steelers are now sitting on a 6-6 record and no longer control their fate in the AFC North, and after hearing the home fans call for Mike Tomlin’s firing, it sounds like this team is long overdue for change.