It’s a matter of expectations.
I have little doubt that the 2017 Steelers defense will meet or exceed all that we expect. Injuries aside, the basic challenge here is youth. Pittsburgh’s defense is built on 4-5 recent drafts devoted to that side of the ball. Many or most of the key players are still on their rookie contracts or just beginning to hit their primes. Either way, they’re still young, and young players take time to truly gel. All preseason we’ve heard the emphasis on communications. That’s why. We’ve also heard consistent messages about the coaches’ delight at T.