Steelers Defense Is Good, But Not Nasty

Ryan Clark's Hit on Willis McGahee
Set the Tone for the Steelers D

Think back to the Steelers vs Bengals game 3 weeks ago.  Its Sunday Night Football, in Cincinnati, and the Steelers were standing at 2-3 without having won a road game.  The first half looked very typical and mundane.  Then all of a sudden you saw a scrum after the play.  No flags thrown, but certainly a scrum between two players.  The Steeler player involved was left guard, Willie Colon.  Colon had taken the Bengals star rookie ILB and decided to pancake him, then pin him to the ground.  If you ask me, it was THAT play that turned things around for the Steelers.  It sparked the team, and especially the offensive line.  The line has been downright nasty since that scrum, and I'm sure that swagger will continue throughout the rest of the season. 

You are probably wondering at this point what in the world I am talking about since the title of this post is about the defense and not the offense.  Be patient, I'll get there....Willie Colon has brought that nastiness to the offensive line that has allowed them to blossom into a line that is more revered than it is ridiculed.  The Steelers defense is pretty good this season.  Ranked #1 in the league (#1 overall vs the pass - 174yds/gm and #7 overall vs the run - 88.6 yds/gm) but if you had to rank this defense to some of the others in years past, it probably wouldn't make the list.  Sure, there are injuries to key players - James Harrison still isn't the difference maker at the OLB position with his ailing knee, Lamarr Woodley has battled hamstring issues, and Troy Polamalu has been in more commercials than he has games this season.  I'm not writing this article talking about effectiveness of the defense or even injuries.  I'm here to write about the missing piece of the Steelers' defensive puzzle...the NASTY.

Willie Colon brought it to the offense vs Cincinnati, but where is it on the defense?  Where is the fear in the opponent when they know they are going up against the Steelers defense?  You talk to me 4 years ago and I would tell you that Ryan Clark will provide that Nastiness with a big hit (ex - His hit on Wes Welker or Willis McGahee), but no one wants to see Ryan Clark get suspended because of a hit like that.  Instead, that swagger, that nastiness needs to come in terms of hard hitting, clean, smash mouth football.  The Steelers need SOMEONE to step up and have a dominant game in terms of QB pressures, sacks, and even causing some turnovers.  The defense is improving, but I think most Steeler fans would admit that there is something that isn't there.  I'm telling you...there is no nastiness on this defense.  Its effective, and they are winning...I get that, but as a Steeler fan I want to see that dark side of the defense come out.  Unlike most people, I didn't mind that the Steelers toed that line in terms of what was legal and illegal in terms of the way they played defense.  I still don't mind, but I think the Kansas City Chiefs might be the perfect medicine for a Steelers defense that needs that spark....that ONE play that turns things around.  Willie Colon brought it for the offense and look how far they've come.  Who will bring it for the defense, and who knows how much better they can get....I'm anxious to find out on Monday Night Football.