Improved Run Defense Will Create Ripple Effect For Steelers

As we all know by now, the run defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers was absolutely abysmal in 2021, ranking dead last in the league, yielding a hair over 146 YPC. They gave up the most rushing yards at 2,483 and also gave up 5.0 YPC, both of which also ranked dead last. Their season was encompassed perfectly in the team’s Thursday Night Football loss to the Vikings back in December, in which Vikings’ Pro Bowl running back literally gashed the defense in every sense of the word. It was apparent early on the type of game Cook would have, as he took his first carry for 20 yards, followed by carries of 30 yards, 16 yards, and a 29-yard touchdown. You get the picture, as he ran for 205 yards on 27 carries and two scores, averaging 7.6 YPC and routinely running free deep into the secondary.

…