NEWS » Snap Counts show exactly how opposing offenses are exploiting

Steelers’ defense This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who pays close attention to the game of football Carnell Lake Jersey , but the ‘secret’ on how to abuse the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is out there. It might have taken some teams longer than others, but there it has become very obvious how offenses are approaching the Steelers’ defense to maximize success.It is simple, really. Just keep the two inside linebackers on the field as much as possible.If there is a glaring weakness in the Pittsburgh defense, it would be at inside linebacker. While we have written, and talked, about the absence of Ryan Shazier a lot here, his absence is noteworthy on a weekly basis, and when you analyze the snap counts from the team’s Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football you see just what I’m referencing. In my opinion, by drafting Terrell Edmunds in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the team believed they would be able to utilize this big safety in a hybrid inside linebacker role. Morgan Burnett would play alongside Sean Davis Jerome Bettis Jersey , and Edmunds could the the ‘rover’ in the middle. Clearly, Burnett was injured in the game, and Mike Hilton’s absence compounded the issue, but the Steelers going against two tight end sets has left them vulnerable in more ways than one.When everyone is healthy, Jon Bostic and Vince Williams are on the field for the run-heavy look, and offenses are shredding them because of it. In the Week 4 loss, the Steelers played Williams 65 snaps, 86 percent, and Bostic 58 snaps, 76 percent of the plays. On the flip side Merril Hoge Jersey , the Ravens deployed two tight ends often. Nick Boyle registered 55 snaps, Maxx Williams 40 and Mark Andrews 26. Talk about a lot of tight end play from the opposition. Even in the team’s Week 3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where the Steelers possessed a huge lead in the first half, the Buccaneers tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate saw 48 and 31 snaps respectively.This isn’t a new trend, but one which wasn’t abused with teams who have the tight ends to pull it off when Ryan Shazier was healthy and active. With Shazier, they had a knifing linebacker in run support, and an athlete fast enough to run with the more receiver-like tight ends in the passing game.How can the Steelers fix this issue? It doesn’t come without paying a price. They can continue to die a slow, painful death watching Bostic and Williams attempt to cover, or they can gamble with a smaller, but more athletic Franco Harris Jersey , player manning the middle of the field. In my opinion, I’ve seen enough in the first quarter to know I don’t want to test Bostic and Williams more than they already have been. I would be all for Edmunds becoming the player in the middle in certain sub packages, or giving Matthew Thomas a shot at trying to be the stop-gap for this leaking defense.With a 1-2-1 record, and a defense making history in all the wrong ways, I don’t see how you keep continuing to do what you have done, expecting a different result. In fact, some say that is the definition of insanity.Only time will tell.If you want to see the complete Snap Totals for the Steelers in Week 4, you can check the chart below, or click HERE. With the afternoon in the bag, here’s a look at where things stand for the 12 playoff seeds.Chiefs (12-4): Sunday’s win over the Raiders gave the Chiefs the No. 1 seed in the AFC.Patriots (11-5): Sunday’s win over the Jets gave the Patriots the No. 2 seed in the AFC.Texans (11-5): The Texans have clinched the AFC South Donnie Shell Jersey , and the No. 3 seed, with their win over the Jaguars.Ravens (10-6): The Ravens secured the AFC North title, and the No. 4 seed, by beating the Browns.Chargers (12-4): The Chargers beat the Broncos, but Kansas City’s win knocks the Chargers to the No. 5 seed.Titans (9-6): The Titans will clinch the No. 6 seed with a win over the Colts.Colts (9-6): The Colts clinch the No. 6 seed with a win over the Titans.Steelers (9-6-1): The Steelers will be the No. 6 seed if the Colts and Titans tie.Saints (13-3): The NFC South champions are locked in as the No. 1 seed.Rams (13-3): The NFC West champions nailed down the No. 2 seed by beating the 49ers.Bears (12-4): The NFC North champions are the No. 3 seed.Cowboys (10-6): The NFC East champions are locked in as the No. 4 seed.Seahawks (10-6): The Seahawks secured the No. 5 seed with Sunday’s win over the Cardinals. (With the Vikings losing, the Seahawks would have had it anyway.Eagles (9-7): The Eagles secured the No. 6 seed by beating Washington, and via Minnesota’s loss to Chicago.Vikings (8-7-1): The Vikings failed to qualify for the playoffs, by losing to the Bears and by the Eagles winning.