The Pittsburgh Steelers’ run defense has been an issue for far too long and is an unfortunate common theme in the first two games of 2025. As a team, the Steelers rank 28th in yards and are tied for the most rushing touchdowns allowed so far. Not even close to expectations heading into the season, especially considering all the investments this offseason.
Run defense is obviously a multi-faceted challenge, including scheme, communication and of course execution. This article will focus on the latter, using a couple of stats to measure positive and negative plays against the run – stop percent (unsuccessful offensive play) and missed tackle percent.