James Harrison knows a thing or two about the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was, after all, a key component of their consistently top-ranked defense for 14 years.
Now on the outside looking in, Harrison has a more neutral perspective on his former team. He’s tuned in to most of Pittsburgh’s games this season, including its recent slide of three straight losses.
In a recent interview with Steelers Wire, Harrison offered his take on the Steelers and what they need to do to turn the season around.
“The biggest concern is the offensive line; we have to figure that out,” said Harrison. “We need to make it easier for the players to play better, even if it means limiting the number of plays or schemes.”
“What it really comes down to is man-on-man. You have to be able to dominate the man in front of you. Right now, we’re not seeing too much of that. They’re not leaving room for [Najee Harris] to run, not leaving a lot of time for Ben to pass. When we do get the ball out into guy’s hands, they need to catch it.”
The Steelers have a dozen dropped passes, including an NFL-high 10 in their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
On the defensive side of the ball, Harrison says they’re just scratching the surface of their full potential.
“The defense needs to play at a level they’re capable of playing at; be the defense that they have been in previous years.”
The Steelers have an opportunity to win their first game since Week 1 when they host the 3-1 Denver Broncos this afternoon.
