Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Analysts blast Steelers defense after being further exposed by Packers

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 11:33 AM ET

After opening the season 4-1 thanks in part to a defense that forced 10 total turnovers in those five games, the Pittsburgh Steelers have now suffered back-to-back losses. The same defense that made pivotal plays earlier in the season is now being heavily scrutinized for being exposed.

On Sunday night, the Steelers lost 35-25 to the Green Bay Packers in a game that began with a focus on Pittsburgh's starting quarterback but ended with a conversation about the other side of the ball. The discussion about the game on ESPN's "Get Up" quickly turned into an entire segment on the Steelers' defensive struggles.

"There was nothing Pittsburgh did that you're going to turn on the tape and feel good about," former NFL quarterback-turned-analyst Alex Smith said.

Former coach blasts Steelers defense

Former NFL coach Rex Ryan then turned up the heat even more.

"This is horrendous defensively. This is crazy. This is unrecognizable to me. This is not the Pittsburgh Steelers," ranted Ryan.

"When you get old, you get slow. And when you're slow, you can't do anything defensively," Ryan added to take shots at aging stars like Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt.

The Steelers defense gave up 454 total yards, with 360 coming through the air, as Jordan Love and the Packers mounted a second-half comeback that has led to questions about what has happened to the intensity that a Pittsburgh defense is known for.

This came a week after allowing a 40-year-old Joe Flacco to carve up the Steelers' defensive secondary to the tune of 342 yards and three touchdowns. Cincinnati, which subsequently handed the New York Jets their first win of the season on Sunday, beat the Steelers 33-31.

Steelers defense has actually struggled all season

Despite generating turnovers early in the season, the Steelers have actually been at the bottom of the NFL as far as total defense most of the year. Through seven games, only two teams — the Bengals and Cowboys — currently sit below the Steelers when it comes to average yards allowed per game. The Steelers have surrendered an average of 386 yards per game, highlighted by giving up the fourth-most passing yards (1,913) and the most per game (273.3).

So even though the Steelers are still enjoying the comforts of leading the AFC North, the reality remains that Pittsburgh's defense will likely hold the team back from achieving its ultimate goal unless something changes. And there's reason to believe the issues may remain, too, which would be a disappointing pill for Steelers fans to swallow based on the effort to improve the group during the offseason.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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