Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton is sounding the alarm. He wants more accountability and toughness from his unit as the pressure builds ahead of their clash with the New England Patriots.

“Being more stout, being more gap sound as a collective,” Benton told the media, outlining his concerns. He got more granular, “And then personally just whooping the block. I feel like I’ve been getting in blocks. Being in my gap, but just not getting off those blocks and making plays. So I just gotta focus on my finishing.”

The 24-year-old has played the most snaps of any Steelers defensive lineman (94) so far this season. That’s a heavy workload. Cameron Heyward is close behind with 91, and Yahya Black has 64. After that, it drops off fast, no one else has played more than 37 snaps. That kind of imbalance makes the situation both interesting and risky as Pittsburgh gets ready for its next game.

That workload only magnifies the need for Benton to sharpen his impact, especially as a pass rusher.

He has struggled against the run and hasn’t made much impact as a pass rusher, though he is working to improve. “I feel like the club/over is just something that that’s natural for me,” the defensive lineman admitted, explaining his go-to move, but adding that “just being more conscious of trying different moves is something I’ve been putting an emphasis on.”

It’s a key admission.

Last year, he kept using the same pass rush move to his right, and blockers started catching on. But here is the thing.

When asked if that predictability makes him easier to stop, he shot back, “They can try [to stop it], but it comes with some power too, though,” he said. “So sometimes they might sit on it. Sometimes they might get clubbed three yards.”

It’s a bold answer that speaks to Benton’s confidence in his go-to move. But beyond technique, there is a bigger picture unfolding.

Keeanu Benton’s individual challenges reflect the broader struggles of the Steelers’ defense. After a strong rookie season with 36 tackles (16 solo), 1 sack, 2 pass deflections, and 2 forced fumbles, his progress seems to have stalled. He is getting into the right spots, but the finishing touch just isn’t there.

The Steelers’ defense has given up 299 rushing yds through two games, and their opponents have averaged 1.4 more yds per carry than they have.

Meanwhile, head coach Mike Tomlin seems to be leaning into Aaron Rodgers’ pass-first approach to spark the offense.

Aaron Rodgers takes the reins

Last week against the Seahawks, while the offense stumbled, running back Jaylen Warren was cooking. He accounted for 134 total YDS, with his rush share jumping to 70% and his route participation at 41%. The veteran QB, an athlete with 508 career TDs and a 102.6 passer rating, noticed.

As Rodgers put it, “Jaylen is a significant player. That was an awesome catch and run. He brings a lot to the table.” Rodgers then made a subtle, yet massive, suggestion: “We might have to keep giving him more opportunities in the pass game, because every time he touches it, something good happens.”

The quarterback dropped a clear hint: Jaylen Warren needs more touches. And it looks like Mike Tomlin got the message. After Warren’s explosive Week 2 performance, 134 total yards and a 65-yard catch-and-run, the head coach responded by increasing his role, with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith now open to boosting Warren’s snap count even further.

The Steelers are averaging just 3.0 yards per rush, and Rodgers, despite his 102.6 career passer rating, threw 2 interceptions last week.

That’s why he is pushing for more touches for Jaylen Warren, a reliable playmaker who could give the offense the spark it desperately needs. And the head coach had to listen.

After the Seahawks game, Rodgers reflected on the loss, suggesting it was a necessary shock to the system. “I don’t like getting too binary, but winning, that’s a good response. But we can’t get attached to the binary system that our league is judged on necessarily, because it is a 17-game season, and the process has to be great.”

The Steelers face a big test against the Patriots, who’ve allowed 9 sacks in two games, despite leading the league in fewest sacks allowed last season. Pittsburgh’s O-line has given up 7 sacks so far. With pressure mounting, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The team is caught between two worlds: one where a defensive lineman begs his unit to be more “stout” (here’s what Cam had to say) and another where the franchise QB is advocating for a path of less resistance. Will the Steelers find their footing in the dirt, or will they take flight, carried by a new passing mandate?