One of the terms that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has popularized in recent years is “popcorn”, a word that he uses to describe a series of small, non-systemic issues that create a larger one. Well, the kernels are in the pan for the defense, and the stove is on. Things are a-poppin’, and in the wrong ways.
That’s not to say that it’s been all bad, by any means. After all, that’s the point of ‘popcorn’ issues. But the more you have, the harder it is to keep everything in the pan, so to speak. That’s what defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s task is heading into Sunday and going forward.