The Steelers suffered their fourth loss of the 2024 season on Sunday, and it was a rough one. Every Pittsburgh loss can feel like the sky falling if you spend too much time in Steelers online circles, but the Philly game was extra painful. Pittsburgh was thoroughly outclassed in nearly every facet of the game in an afternoon that put a hard-to-miss asterisk on the team’s hopes of becoming a bona fide contender.
This week, Read & React re-assesses two of the culprits from the ugly loss and looks ahead to another tough matchup on Saturday.
Is the Steelers’ secondary officially a problem?
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RP: I watched the All-22 for all 25 of the passes completed against the Eagles and my biggest takeaway is we need to relax on some of the hot takes about this secondary.
Philadelphia called a smart game. They knew the Steelers would be focused on stopping Barkley and the Eagles' running game — Barkley had only 65 yards on 19 tries (3.4 YPC) while Hurts (3.0 YPC) and RB2 Kenneth Gainwell (2.9 YPC) couldn’t get much going either — so the Eagles countered by frequently calling for passes on first and second down. Of Hurts’ 25 completions, 16 were made on first or second down. Of those 16 completions, only seven converted first downs, but they were deadly as each of those plays went for 15-plus yards.
Jalen Hurts took what the defense gave him, settling for short 4-6 yards gains on the early downs. That set the Eagles up with a lot of third-and-shorts, as well as one short fourth down they converted. The Eagles were deadly in those situations because their line is powerful enough to grind out the short yards on the ground, but the Eagles can also play off that success and catch defense off guard by passing. Against the Steelers, they had one of those days.
Joey Porter Jr. didn’t look as bad as some would have you believe. Box score chasers will see AJ Brown with 8 catches, 110 yards and a touchdown, and loudly tell anyone who listens it was because Brown turned Porter into burnt toast. However, looking at the tape, I frankly didn’t find that to be true. On the day, Porter allowed 4 catches for 53 yards and no touchdowns in his day against Brown. Yes, he lost those reps, but I would argue he only truly was outclassed in one of them.
I've seen fretting about Joey Porter Jr. this week, but I came away from the Eagles tape not too worried about him to be honest.
AJ Brown is a top 5 WR and can bully dudes. Got the better of JPJ a few times, but I'd argue of the 4 catches in 11 vs 24, JPJ only lost one badly pic.twitter.com/fWeFjzCd8o
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) December 18, 2024
Catch one, a physical slant. Brown creates space by creating a collision with Porter’s jab and gets a short reception off the slant, but Porter was still riding his hip tightly. Catch number two is one of those you just throw your hands up and respect the throw and great catch by Brown. Porter complained that Brown was shoving a lot, and he gets away with a little one here, but it’s honestly just an impressive catch in tight coverage. Catch number three came against zone coverage. Hurts held the ball for a long time, and Brown wasn’t the primary read. However with Preston Smith guarding him in the flat and Porter protecting against a vertical route, Brown finds the soft spot. You could credit this a catch allowed against Smith. Lastly, catch four is the rep Porter loses badly. In the fourth quarter he and Brown have been going at it all game. Brown fakes like he’s running a route to the outside, hits Porter’s shoulder violently to create space and then picks up 21 yards on a slant. Looking at those plays, I’m not concerned about Porter at all.
Donte Jackson on the other hand had a pretty devastating tackling game. He missed several and played particularly poorly against Brown. While Porter likes to play press, Jackson more often lines up giving his receiver space. Brown is both fast and physical at 221 pounds — Jackson weighs in at 180 pounds — and Brown did an excellent job of quickly eating up that space in his route and then physically out classing Jackson on several occasions. Brown had a much more active first half as the Steelers held him to 3 catches for 45 yards in the second half.
Where the Steelers got shredded was DeVonta Smith. Philadelphia was spamming drag routes and crossers for him for most of the game and using it to abuse the Steelers different coverages, often looking to leverage Steelers defenders against each other. In some cases the Steelers defenders ran into each other as the Eagles schemed up naturally pick and rub routes to spring Smith free, but on a least one explosive, Smith was left uncovered running a drag against Steelers in Cover 2 when Patrick Queen carried a tight end vertically creating space for Smith. On other plays, Smith would run behind the linebacker coverage, finding the soft spot in the zone. James Pierre also had a rough day trying to hang with Smith and Brown after replacing an injured Jackson.
If I have one more gripe, I couldn’t help but feel like the Steelers are not taking enough advantage of Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers used to design coverages around letting Polamalu freelance when he got hunches based on the studying he’d put in against an offense. Fitzpatrick has played his role well and I did not notice any major coverage snafus or busts from him, but I’d like to see the Steelers put him in positions where he can take some chances. I bristle at anyone saying he isn’t playing up to his usual standards just because the turnovers aren’t there. It’s hard to get turnovers when offense aren’t throwing the ball your way.
Still, as far as worries go, the secondary is pretty far down my list.
RB: The Steelers still have a top-10 defense in the NFL in terms of points and yards. But their passing defense has quietly slid into the bottom half of the league.
Of course, the Eagles were a perfect storm. No DeShon Elliott, plus a game plan that required selling out to stop Saquon Barkley. That left the Steelers’ corners short-handed against one of the NFL’s best receiver duos, and it didn’t end well.
But let’s not get carried away in our critiques. The Steelers have only given up over 250 passing yards in a game twice since the bye, and both of those instances were against top-flight receiving units in the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles game was a mix of the Steelers underperforming and Philadelphia at the height of its power. The Steelers were left playing man-to-man against A.J. Brown, who was built in a lab to defeat those coverages. Miscommunications on crossers were more prevalent than normal with the Steelers down starting strong safety DeShon Elliott and playing run-stuffing linebacker Elandon Roberts more than usual.
All those elements add up to a bad game by the Pittsburgh secondary that isn’t all that surprising, or worrying.
That being said, I do think we have to be honest about the talent level of this secondary. Donte Jackson has always been a streaky corner and Sunday was a down game. Joey Porter Jr. is having a bit of a sophomore slump late this season even if he’s still comfortably a CB1. It’s not unheard of for young corners and shouldn’t ruin his development long-term.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is still a very good safety but he isn’t playing at the level of his 2019-2022 self. Slot coverage has never been a strength, and depth pieces James Pierre and Damontae Kazee are serviceable but nothing to write home about.
Left without much help against the Eagles, the Steelers’ middle-of-the-pack secondary struggled. But they’re not going to face many teams as loaded in both the air and ground game as Philadelphia. And if they face the Eagles again this season, that’ll be in the Super Bowl. They can cross that bridge if they get to it.
I don't think this Steelers secondary is a strength, even if their splashy play at times has fooled us into thinking that, but I don’t think it’s a season-ruining problem, either.
Will Najee Harris get a second contract from the Steelers?
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RB: Let’s get one thing out of the way first: Najee Harris’ fumble against the Eagles was a truly horrible play that significantly contributed to the loss — but, if that play dramatically altered your thoughts on Harris’ future with the Steelers, that’s ridiculous. If there’s one universally agreed upon positive trait in Harris’ game, it’s that he doesn’t fumble. It was a bad play. It’s anything but a bad trend.
Take away Harris’ fumble though, and his performance against the Eagles still wasn’t a good one: six carries for just 14 yards (2.3 yards per carry). Not great.
Looking at Harris’ career from the outside, the consistency is impressive. His yards per carry have never jumped off the page, but he started his career with three straight thousand-plus yard seasons and looks to be on pace for a fourth in 2024.
However, looking at Harris’ game logs over the past few seasons, there has been some definite inconsistency. In 2024, he’s recorded two games with under 20 rushing yards and four with under 50. In 2023, he had seven games with under 50 yards including an eighth in the playoffs.
Harris is the type of player who has fans calling for his head one week and then hoping for an extension the next after breaking off a run like this:
In his defense, Harris hasn’t been on a good offense his entire career up until this season (where “good” still feels like a stretch at times), and he’s never had a great offensive line. I’ve had my ups and downs regarding his play just like everyone else, but it’s been largely clear that Harris is a good running back who has deserved his starting role throughout his career.
However, Harris just hasn’t been the best fit in Arthur Smith’s zone run offense, and with the price for running backs trending up following 2024, the odds of Pittsburgh shelling out big money to keep him around feels unlikely. The writing has been on the wall ever since the Steelers declined Harris’ affordable fifth-year option this offseason; while he’s looked good, Harris probably hasn’t done enough this season to change Pittsburgh’s mind.
The decision gets easier with backfield mate Jaylen Warren being an easy re-sign as a restricted free agent this offseason. The Steelers will be able to keep half the room intact for cheap and pursue a rookie or free agent to fill the Harris role in 2025 — likely another big back with a bit more wiggle and outside zone savvy (Easy counterpoint: The 2025 running back free agent class is not great, although I can be talked into Aaron Jones for the right price).
A lot can still change between now and free agency, but it’s looking like Harris will be gone in 2025. Maybe it’s the right decision. Maybe the Steelers don’t find a good enough replacement.
If this is Harris’ last year in the black and gold, he will have given the Steelers well over 4,000 hard-fought carries and finished in the top six, likely top five, for rushing yards in franchise history. He’s been good. And I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Harris finds a James Conner-esque fit elsewhere to keep up his thousand-yard season streak.
RP: First, just to answer the question, I don’t think so. It spoke volumes when the Steelers declined to exercise his fifth-year option. In the modern era of football — where the declining value of running backs has been widely observed — one of arguably the only remaining benefits of drafting a running back in the first round is that extra fifth year of team control. If the Steelers wanted to keep Harris long-term but felt like the price — $6.7 million — was too high based on Harris’ performance, they could have negotiated an extension after declining the option. They chose not to. A deal can be made at any time, but if I’m reading the tea leaves, retaining Najee is not something the organization feels is its top priority.
I echo a lot of Bickley’s thoughts above when it comes to Najee. He isn’t as bad as the hottest takes delivered after Sunday’s fumble would have you believe, but we’d be lying if we said he’s looked all that impressive over the last month and a half.
A lot of that has to do with the offensive line, but Harris’ physical limitations and playstyle compound the issue. That isn’t to say Harris is unathletic — anyone who has seen Harris hurdle a defender, or carry a pile of defenders for several yards, or leap for extra yardage knows he is a special athlete — but Harris will never be confused with a sprinter.
With his playing weight ranging somewhere between 230 and 250 during his career, it takes a while for Harris to get up to full speed. That’s noteworthy not just in terms of outracing defenders, but because that’s where his power comes from. A back with a full head of steam is going to be more likely to run through a defender than a back who has had to stop or slow his feet in a muddy backfield.
Unfortunately, that’s been the case far too often this season with the Steelers. Najee is most effective as a one-cut runner, but the Steelers’ line has struggled at times to get enough push to create a clear lane for Harris to do so. He just doesn’t have the same juice as a back like Warren — or even Cordarrelle Patterson at times — to consistently create for himself and there are times when it feels like Harris is trying to do too much to make up for the line’s shortcomings.
I’d also like to see Arthur Smith step his game up with his sequencing. So many times this year it feels like the Steelers have forced run, run, run on the early downs and then find themselves in third-and-long when those plays don’t work. I’d like Smith to be more aggressive about passing on early downs, and much earlier in games. The Eagles plan against the Steelers should serve as inspiration. Teams expect the Steelers to run. They’ll call coverages designed to stop that element of the game, often zone coverages like Cover 3. Attack that.
This is arguably the best line the Steelers have had in years, but they’re still a work in progress and feature several young players still developing. While they may have no problem being the more physical unit against a team like the Bengals or Raiders, going up against a team that emphasizes the trenches like the Eagles shows how far they still have to go in reaching that smashmouth ideal Pittsburgh is hoping to achieve.
Game notes: Steelers vs. Ravens
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Read & React already previewed the Baltimore Ravens this season — you can read that article HERE. As a result, we’ll be providing some up-to-date thoughts on the Steelers’ upcoming opponent instead of another preview, showing what’s changed since the last time the two teams met.
RP (defense): Since the last meeting of these teams in Week 11, the Ravens have had their bye and faced a slate of common opponents with the Steelers. Just like the Steelers, the Ravens lost to the Eagles but picked up wins against the Chargers and Giants.
Baltimore has remained healthy during this stretch. The Ravens have lost some contributing reserves — rookie edge rusher Adisa Isaac is questionable, corner and former Steeler Arthur Maulet is on Injured Reserve — but the starting unit has remained on the field and rookie corner T.J. Tampa is trending towards returning.
Not much has changed about the Ravens defense. However, whether or not George Pickens is healthy enough to play could matter a great deal. Baltimore’s weak link is Brandon Stephens in one-on-one coverage. However, without Pickens, will the Steelers have anyone who can take advantage of that matchup? Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton will make getting Pat Freiermuth a challenge. They bottled up Harris most of the last game, though Jaylen Warren had some success.
This Ravens defense isn’t elite, but it isn’t a push over either.
RB (offense): The Steelers shut down the Ravens the last time these two teams played, and Lamar Jackson has started to fall behind Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen in the media’s NFL MVP race. But don’t let that trick you into thinking this Ravens offense has regressed. In Baltimore’s three games post-Pittsburgh, they’ve scored 84 total points, with the only sub-30 performance coming against an Eagles defense that Steelers fans know firsthand is quite the challenge.
Last week against the Giants, Jackson passed for 290 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions, adding 65 yards on six carries on the ground. Yes, the Steelers always play him well. Yes, he will be a massive challenge to shut down on Saturday, especially if T.J. Watt doesn’t play or isn’t 100%.
On the Ravens’ injury front, wide receiver Nelson Agholor’s game status is up in the air with a concussion. Diontae Johnson won’t play against Pittsburgh following what’s been a confusing and drama-filled stint with the Ravens. But for the most part, Baltimore is at full strength entering Week 16.
Losing Agholor would be a minor blow, but the Ravens’ passing offense has been primarily driven by Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, tight end Mark Andrews, and receiving back Justice Hill over recent weeks. Derrick Henry has only broken 100 yards in one of the Ravens’ last five games, but he’s still averaged well over four yards a carry over that span.
Again, the Steelers tend to play the Baltimore offense well. But this is still an elite unit that will be tough to stop on the road in Week 16.
Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. What are your thoughts on Najee Harris and the Steelers’ secondary following a tough loss? How are you feeling about Steelers-Ravens? Let us know in the comments! Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section, on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or via email at steelersreadnreact@gmail.com.
