There’s no topic we’ve heard more about this offseason on the defensive side of the ball for the Pittsburgh Steelers than the focus on stopping the run. it was a sporadic issue that became a constant last season after Ryan Shazier was injured, replacing to occasional gash runs with death by 1000 papercuts. It’s largely responsible for the team’s early playoff exit.
So it’s no surprise to see Pro Football Focus rank the Steelers 25th in the league in terms of run defense. Only the Lions, Saints, 49ers, Colts, Cowboys, and Chiefs were ranked lower than Pittsburgh in this department, a fact that probably gives guys like Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith ulcers just to think about.