The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense faced a hostile environment in their Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Perhaps the most troubling outcome of the game was the continuation of an issue that has persisted throughout the season and in previous years under Mike Tomlin. He prides himself on having an elite defense, but that unit shrivels up when the lights are the brightest.
After revamping their secondary in the offseason, the Steelers seemed prepared to compete with Cincinnati and its elite offensive weapons. That did not happen; in fact, the opposite occurred. Pittsburgh struggled to stop the run, and they couldn't handle Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins.