The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2020 season fully expected to have one of the top defenses in the league. They have so far this year, overall, but they have certainly had their warts as well, giving up an unusual number of conversions on third and long, for example, and a high number of explosive passing plays despite still being one of the best passing defenses.
Part of the problem is just who is in the game, through the season-long process of attrition. Just look at some of the players who were in Sunday’s loss against the Buffalo Bills, and the number of snaps that they played.