First down defense
This is where it gets really ugly. The defense was 25th in the league on rushing first downs, allowing an average of seven per game. On the season, they gave up 110 first downs to runners. Only seven teams were worse in this category — the Dolphins, Jaguars, Chiefs, Redskins, Browns, Bengals, and Panthers.
Believe me, I’m not complaining. The Steelers overall defense was sixth in the league, and I’m thankful for that. All we can do is look to the future and hope that the run defense returns to its pre-2019 form.
Having a healthy Tuitt back in the lineup will definitely help. A number of players who have undergone pectoral surgery returned to play at the same level. Cam Heyward sustained this injury in 2016 and came back better than ever the following year.