It\u2019s the preseason. Many of the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 defensive stars didn\u2019t play. Drawing team-wide conclusions from three exhibition games with minimal game planning and a roster full of backups is always dangerous. Still, I can\u2019t help but notice the goose egg Pittsburgh put up in the takeaway department this preseason, a trend that can\u2019t carry over into the regular season.<\/p>\n
Hiring Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator was a positive move. He\u2019s a tenured and respected defensive coordinator. His schemes are flexible, and players seem eager for the change and what he\u2019s offered so far.<\/p>\n
However, my number one concern with Graham is his questionable track record in creating turnovers. That\u2019s never been his strong suit.<\/p>\n
In seven years as an NFL defensive coordinator across stops in Miami, the New York Giants, and Las Vegas, only once have Graham\u2019s defenses cracked the top ten in takeaways \u2013 a 10th-place finish in 2020. His average ranking is a lowly 22nd, lower marks than where his groups have finished in points or yards allowed.<\/p>\n
Despite Pittsburgh\u2019s defensive issues, the unit consistently took the football away. Like Teryl Austin or not, he infused turnover circuit drills into practice, and results followed. Over his Steelers tenure, 2019 through 2025, Pittsburgh\u2019s defense led the league with 197 takeaways. In that respect, the culture was extremely strong and reinforced through practice habits down to T-shirts.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Can Graham do something similar?<\/p>\n Pittsburgh failed to force one turnover in three preseason games. The closest the unit came was SS DeShon Elliott\u2019s forced fumble against the New York Jets, a bouncing ball the Jets recovered. Elliott will miss at least the first four games of the season<\/a> while still recovering from his 2025 knee injury.<\/p>\n It might only be preseason, but Pittsburgh going the summer without a takeaway is highly unusual. Last year, the Steelers\u2019 defense forced four. According to our Clayton Eckert, the last time Pittsburgh went the entire preseason without a takeaway was back in 2013.<\/p>\n Is that just noise from small sample sizes and backup players or an ominous sign of what\u2019s to come?<\/p>\n