As a member of the media now as an analyst with CBS Sports, Bryant McFadden is paid to evaluate the NFL in an objective fashion.
The former Steelers cornerback and two-time Super Bowl winner sees a lot to like in the team's current defense. In fact, he thinks the 2019 version of the Steelers defense was the best in more than a decade.
"I think this current Steelers defense, going back to what we saw last year, was probably the best Steelers defense we’ve seen since some of the guys I played with were there," McFadden told me. "Statistically speaking, I’ll say that (since) 2008 season."
That 2008 defense allowed the fewest points in the league (228), total defense (237.2 yards per game) and passing yards allowed (156.9). It was second in the league in rushing defense (80.3 yards per game) and sacks (51).
The 2019 Steelers' defense didn't quite finish that high in any of the league-best categories, but it did lead the league in sacks for the third consecutive season with 54. And it was a much different unit after the trade for free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick two weeks into the season.
With the addition of Fitzpatrick and stars at other positions such as outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and a solid cornerback duo in Joe Haden and Steven Nelson, the defense took off, allowing an average of 17.3 points per game.
And that was despite the fact the offense provided it with very little help, especially in the final month of the season.
But it's still missing one thing.
"The difference between this current defense and what I played with, some of the outstanding defenses I was a part of, we were able to win championships," McFadden said. "I remember in that 2008 year, the Super Bowl against Arizona, Mike Tomlin told us on that last drive, we had to come up with the stop after the touchdown by Santonio (Holmes). Remember, we had put up great numbers that year. Tomlin said that everything we did throughout the season means nothing if we don’t win it all right now. That kind of resonated for all of us.
"To me, this current Steelers defense, especially last year, it was the best defense I’ve seen in Pittsburgh since that 2008 campaign. Now, will they go down with some of the legendary defenses that they’ve had in Pittsburgh? Probably not, because they didn’t win it all. They might have a chance to win it all. But that means a lot when you’re part of an iconic, legendary defense and you win the sticky Lombardi."
With the return of Ben Roethlisberger from an elbow surgery that limited him to just two games played in 2019, there is a belief in the team's front office that it has a squad capable of doing that.
After all, the defense does return for 2020 largely intact. Though nose tackle Javon Hargrave was lost in free agency last week, the rest of the defense is back. And it will celebrate the return of defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt, who was limited to six games in 2019, while young players such as Fitzpatrick, Watt, Terrell Edmunds and inside linebacker Devin Bush all will be in their fourth year or less in the league.
The average age of the projected starters on the Steelers defense as it currently stands -- even with 32-year-old with Tyson Alualu at nose tackle -- is 26.7.
The arrow could still be pointed up for the unit.
"No doubt," McFadden said. "Losing Hargrave is a big loss. But they were able to retain Dupree. Pair him up with T.J. Add in a turnover machine that they have in Fitzpatrick. Then you’ve got Nelson and Haden. Yeah, you don’t have a first rounder, but you still have the ability to add to that defense."
And one thing that won't change is the team's ability to rush the passer. The Steelers have topped 50 sacks as a team in each of the past three seasons.
But the addition of a playmaking safety in Fitzpatrick on the back end and one at inside linebacker in Bush made it all that much more dangerous. Where the team had issues creating turnovers off the pressure in 2018, that wasn't an issue last season. The Steelers led the NFL in forced turnovers in 2019 with 38.
Those can fluctuate from year to year, but one thing that won't change is the pressure.
"When you’re sacking the quarterback, that provides opportunities for turnovers," McFadden said. "When you look at teams that are sacking the quarterback, they’re usually in the top of the league in creating turnovers. Quarterbacks that are getting pressure put on them, they either throw the ball away or they throw the ball where they don’t want to."
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