What The Steelers Coach And Players Are Saying About Their Cardboard Defense

Do Troy or Ryan have any answers on defense?

      “I like the attitude, demeanor and approach to work that the guys have taken,” Mike Tomlin said. “That’s just part of the equation. Obviously, putting it together and producing victory is the most significant part of the equation.”“We have to minimize the big plays,” he said. “I think that has been an issue for us ... We just need to get more solid in that area, minimize big plays and make people work to produce points against us. That’s how we’ve done it for a long period of time. We have to quickly get back to that.”

      The lack of takeaways has the Pittsburgh Steelers on the verge of establishing a dubious mark. No team in NFL history has failed to record a takeaway five games into a season. The Steelers are at four games, and the players are still at a loss to explain what has to happen for the defense to start forcing turnovers. Turnovers, or the lack thereof, are a key again for the Steelers defense. But Troy Polamalu, said that securing them isn't just a product of what a defense does on the football field. "We've got to get more out of our offense as well. And we need splash plays from our special teams. So, turnovers aren't just a defensive thing."

      "I think the biggest thing we need to do more of is more people getting to the ball," safety, Ryan Clark said. "When you get multiple hats on the ball that gives the second guys opportunities to pull at the ball, try to get it out. So as a team I think that's a thing we can work on more." "Last year I had two interceptions and forced two fumbles and it just happened," free safety Ryan Clark said. "Sometimes those plays just come." But defenses have to make those plays happen too, Clark acknowledged.

      "Anytime we underperform, we let defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau down, and we haven't performed very well during these first four games," Polamalu said. "Of course, he's displeased, as displeased as we are with what we've seen on film. It's tough to accept, being 0-4, but it's the state of what we are right now. We've put together 0-4 efforts and have executed an 0-4 style. "As a defense, we definitely have to stop the run first and we have to force teams to get into third-and-long situations, which teams have done a good job against us by not getting into those situations," Polamalu said.