The Pittsburgh Steelers came into this season knowing they had to fix the defensive line. After getting steamrolled in the playoffs last year by Baltimore for nearly 300 rushing yards - a performance that still stings in the Steel City - it was clear where the rebuild needed to start.
So, they invested. First-round pick Derrick Harmon was supposed to be the anchor up front.
Fifth-rounder Yahya Black, a big-bodied nose tackle, was brought in to add depth. But as we head into another pivotal matchup, the problems haven’t gone away - and the reinforcements haven’t been on the field.
Harmon is set to miss his second straight game due to injury, and his absence was painfully obvious last Sunday. The Buffalo Bills ran wild for 249 yards - the most rushing yards ever allowed at Acrisure Stadium.
That’s not just a bad day. That’s a red flag waving in the face of a team that’s trying to stay relevant in the AFC playoff race.
Now comes Derrick Henry. And if you’re the Steelers, that’s the last name you want to see on the schedule right now.
Henry isn’t just a physical back - he’s a tone-setter. And while Pittsburgh had done a decent job of containing him in previous matchups when he was with the Titans, last season told a very different story.
In two meetings against the Ravens, Henry went off for 162 and 186 rushing yards. That’s not just winning the ground game - that’s taking over the entire game script.
Let’s look at the history for a moment. Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers had largely held Henry in check:
- 2017: 7 carries, 32 yards
- 2020: 20 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD
- 2023: 17 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD
Those are respectable numbers against one of the league’s most punishing runners. But last season’s playoff collapse changed the narrative. Henry found daylight all game long, and Pittsburgh’s front seven had no answers.
This week, the challenge isn’t just about stopping Henry - it’s about salvaging a season that’s teetering on the edge. The Steelers currently rank 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed. That’s a stat that doesn’t just reflect missed tackles or poor gap integrity - it speaks to a bigger issue of personnel, execution, and physicality.
Even if the Steelers decide to load the box - and they probably will - that’s no guarantee of success. Stacking eight or nine defenders near the line of scrimmage might slow Henry down, but it also opens up the field for Lamar Jackson. And while Jackson’s passing hasn’t always been consistent, he’s more than capable of burning a defense that sells out too hard on the run.
The bigger question is whether the Steelers have the horses up front to make any of it work. Keeanu Benton and Esezi Otomewo are being asked to step into major roles, but neither has shown they can consistently win in the trenches. And without Harmon, the interior lacks the kind of disruptive force that can reset the line of scrimmage.
That puts the spotlight squarely on Cam Heyward. The veteran defensive tackle pushed for a pay raise this offseason, and now the Steelers need him to play like a man possessed. If Pittsburgh is going to have any shot at slowing down Henry and keeping their season alive, Heyward has to be the guy who sets the tone - not just with effort, but with impact.
The truth is, the Steelers knew this was a problem last year. They tried to fix it.
But whether it was bad luck with injuries or misfires in evaluation, the results haven’t changed. And unless something clicks in the final stretch, Pittsburgh could be heading into another offseason asking the same question: how do we fix the defensive line?
They spent draft capital. They made it a priority. But right now, the run defense looks as vulnerable as ever - and with Derrick Henry on deck, that vulnerability could be exposed again in a big way.