Over the last two weeks, Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have fielded the NFL’s most expensive defense. Both the Jets and Seahawks, with ease, pushed around the Steelers. Now the Black and Gold head into Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots, where QB Drake Maye has looked red-hot to start the year.

Pittsburgh knows that falling to 1-2 would be a bad look, and former Steelers QB Charlie Batch has a plan. “Yeah, they’re going to use probably go back and use that Justin Fields film and with New York and at RPO to see if there’re things that they could take advantage of their especially since the Jets were very successful on first down.” He explained they average eight yards on first down. So, putting him in the third and short opportunities. That kind of blueprint could help the defense breathe.

Batch also stressed the importance of staying ahead of the chains against a young passer. He noted that without Alex Highsmith, the Steelers will need Nick Herbig to give them speed off the edge. Right now, teams are running away from T.J. Watt on purpose, and the charts back that up. Because of it, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin might have to move Watt around to keep Maye off balance.

Historically, Mike Tomlin has trusted a simple but tough defensive approach. Pittsburgh rarely goes fancy, but it always relies on consistent execution. The Black and Gold lean on zone coverage at the back end and a heavy rush plan up front. So far, that has included blitzing nearly 40 percent of the time, the fourth-highest rate in the league.

That pressure-first style has worked in flashes. Even though they only have three sacks, tied for 25th in the NFL, their 26.2 percent pressure rate ranks sixth. Those numbers show that when they come, they bring heat. Still, Maye has been sharp against those exact looks. He’s been one of the best quarterbacks under pressure through two games.

Against the Silver and Black and the Dolphins, Maye faced the blitz on about one-third of his drop-backs. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 173 yards, two scores, and no turnovers. Those are efficient numbers that prove he’s not rattled. So, while the Steelers might want to change things up, their history says they will stick with what they know.

Key areas that might have led Mike Tomlin to victory

First off, stopping Drake Maye had to be the priority. The rookie has been rolling through his first two games, showing poise and putting up strong numbers. He already has full control of the Patriots’ offense. But when a quarterback like that gets time to settle in, it’s trouble. The Black and Gold couldn’t afford to let him sit in the pocket and dictate the pace. Pressure was the only way to make him think twice.

Secondly, roster changes mattered. The middle of the defense had been exposed, and it was clear something needed to shift. As much as fans love Keeanu Benton and Payton Wilson, both have been liabilities in key spots. That opened the door for Yahya Black and Cole Holcomb to get more run. And sometimes, simply shaking up the rotation is enough to wake up a group that looked sluggish.

At the same time, the one-on-ones had to be won. Football always comes back to that. Schemes and play calls only go so far when the guy across from you keeps pushing you back. Players on this roster get paid to dominate those matchups. Against New England, there was no hiding behind the coaching staff. The Steelers needed their guys to win those battles straight up.

Finally, it came down to T.J. Watt. Everyone knows he’s the tone-setter. But lining him up in the same spot every snap made him predictable. That’s why coaches had to move him around and give him different looks. When Watt got freed up, the defense looked alive. And when he made plays on Maye, everything else fell into place.