The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is preparing for a challenging matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs and their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The game is scheduled for Christmas Day at Acrisure Stadium. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is emphasizing the importance of effective communication among his players to handle the upcoming challenge.
In their recent 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers’ defense struggled with miscommunication. Two touchdowns were notably impacted by these issues. A pass from Lamar Jackson to Isaiah Likely resulted in a score, as did another pass to Mark Andrews, both occurring without adequate coverage.
“We’ve gotta get it fixed,” Austin stated, acknowledging the need for improvement in defensive communication.
Austin plans to address these issues during walk-throughs this week, focusing on clear and intentional communication despite the constraints of a short preparation period. “Even though they’re not going to be high intensity we should hear everything that’s going on,” he explained.
He remains confident that these problems can be resolved, noting past successes in overcoming similar challenges earlier in the season. “I’m pretty sure our guys will do it,” Austin said optimistically.
Austin also highlighted that while their defensive strategy is sound and straightforward, occasional lapses occur which they aim to rectify promptly. “Sometimes we don’t fit up to what we gotta do and we gotta get it fixed,” he added.
