The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a tough stretch right now. They have dropped four of their last six games, including a tight 31 to 28 loss to the Bears. Now, with the Buffalo Bills coming to Pittsburgh in Week 13, head coach Mike Tomlin knows what is coming their way. He even admitted that the Steelers will need to go above their usual level to contain Josh Allen.

On his show, Tomlin was asked what stands out when it comes to slowing down Allen.

“Possession down play and his competitive spirit. They are one of the best possession down units in football, and they have been. Certainly, they do solid things schematically, but it is the talent and will of Josh Allen. He can get you with his arm under those circumstances through play extension and just general arm talent. He can get you with his legs,” Tomlin said.

The numbers back up every word. Allen has posted a passer rating of 101.6 with 2,709 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions in 11 starts this season. So Tomlin doubled down on his point.

“You’ve got an all-day job trying to defeat Josh Allen. You particularly have an all-day job when there’s line-to-game football, possession football, two-minute football. His competitive spirit really comes to fruition in those circumstances.”

Allen becomes a different player when the moment gets tight. Still, the Steelers’ defense has its own reputation. Pittsburgh has one of the strongest defensive rosters in the league. That is why it feels strange that the group has not been able to show that strength every week. The pieces are there. The output has not followed.

Finally, the Bills’ test could be the perfect chance to reset things. If the defense can hold up against the Bills, it will be a great sign of improvement headed into their first of two matchups with the Ravens. However, there is a big red flag for them.

Steelers coach raises red flags about Mike Tomlin’s defense

As the Steelers get ready for the Bills, the focus inside the locker room has shifted to the same problem that keeps showing up. Teryl Austin broke it down again. He said that opponents change their plan the moment they face the Black and Gold. They go with fast throws, screens, and simple reads to avoid getting buried by Pittsburgh’s pass rush. And he expects Josh Allen to use the same playbook on Sunday.

“I think, analytically, teams get the ball out faster versus us than they do a lot of other people,” Austin shared. “Just going back and looking at it through the course of the season, teams that sometimes traditionally hold the ball, they get it out. And so that’s a way to combat our rush. You get it out with quicksand screens and not allow our guys to rush.”

But he did not reveal what the Steelers and Mike Tomlin’s plan is to fix that. Meanwhile, the Bills have their own issues.

Allen was sacked 8 times in their loss to the Houston Texans, so getting the ball out quickly may be his safest option. Austin knows the pattern well. Recently, the Green Bay Packers leaned on quick passes to avoid the Steelers’ pressure. The Chicago Bears followed the same idea.

Their quarterback, Caleb Williams, fired the ball in about 2.6 seconds. That is fast for him. He threw for 239 yards, and 172 came on quick passes. He posted a 113.0 rating, and his short-game rhythm stalled the Steelers’ rush.

So, fixing that problem becomes urgent before Buffalo tries to repeat the same formula.