The Pittsburgh Steelers are supposed to win games with defense. That’s the identity. That’s the brand. That’s the Tomlin-era standard. But when Bill Cowher—the man who built that reputation starts raising questions, you listen. And once again, the Hall of Famer didn’t hold back. Despite a gritty showing against the Colts, Cowher believes something deeper is still broken in Pittsburgh’s defense. Communication, consistency, and composure… the cracks are showing.

“Back to what?… They still have some communication problems, particularly as it relates to the back end. A lot of it is because of injuries. There’s no question about it.”

During his appearance on NFL on CBS, Bill Cowher didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts when asked if the Steelers’ defense was back. While the former linebacker acknowledged that Pittsburgh has managed key turnovers, he can’t overlook these persisting issues. Moreover, he noted that the victory margins were thin in the games they won because of takeaways.

Bill was referring to Pittsburgh’s clashes against New England and Indianapolis. Next, he claimed that the franchise tried too hard to fix things, which produced a poor outcome. He’s happy that Mike stepped back and opted for a simpler approach last week against the Colts. 

“They simplified things, let these guys play, particularly up front. And I think you saw some better results. I think, again, going tonight, going against the L.A. Chargers in L.A. is going to be another challenge for them.”

This is the second time recently that Bill has voiced his frustration. Back in late October, he slammed the team’s defense after a brutal 35-25 home loss to the Green Bay Packers. He highlighted critical moments that turned the game in Green Bay’s favor, including a missed penalty call early in the third quarter. In that game, the Packers quarterback Jordan Love led a 90-yard scoring drive, finishing with a 59-yard pass to tight end Tucker Kraft.

From that moment, the Steelers’ defense collapsed with zero sacks. To make matters worse, Love ended up completing 20 straight passes and threw for 360 yards with three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Bill Cowher’s latest remarks come just as Fox Sports ranked Pittsburgh’s defense through Week 9 as the third-worst in the NFL. Are the six-time Super Bowl champions ignoring the real issue?

Is Patrick Queen holding back the Steelers’ defense?

Mike Tomlin’s defense came out swinging in their match-up against the Colts in Week 9. The team sacked QB Daniel Jones five times and forced six takeaways, delivering a promising performance. However, there is still a soft spot right in the middle of the unit, which could continue to haunt. 

Linebacker Patrick Queen, who entered the squad during the 2024 offseason with big expectations. Sadly, his inconsistencies have now become hard to ignore. Through eight games, he has missed 15 tackles and allowed 38 catches for 447 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, his PFF grade of 42.1 pulls him down among starting linebackers. 

During games, Patrick has struggled to finish tackles, and his instincts and awareness serve as a liability. For now, he’s an important part of Pittsburgh, but the team must make a tough call if the linebacker continues to under-deliver. We hope Patrick finds his form before it’s too late. If he doesn’t, the Steelers might pay for it later in the season.