Patrick Graham Reveals Turning Point for Steelers Defense
· Yahoo Sports
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been on a tear since the Week 4 loss to the Browns in Cleveland.
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The Steelers missed 14 tackles in that loss. Frustration was also mounting, as T.J. Watt took the head seat and chewed out defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Graham has moved from the booth to the sideline since, and the defense has been playing lights out.
The Steelers revenged that Week 4 loss on Sunday by crushing the Browns, 27-6. The defense had a whopping eight sacks on quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Graham revealed on Monday that the loss to the Browns in Week 4 was the turning point for the defense and himself.
Graham said he stared out the window listening to Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” on the bus ride back from Cleveland. It was a moment of deep reflection for him.
“I had to learn how to trust them more. The input from the veteran players. Sometimes you don’t want to hear that,” Graham said.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham at training camp on July 29, 2026. — Ed Thompson / Steelers NowHeading into the bye week, the Steelers rank fourth in points per game allowed,
sixth in EPA/play allowed, sixth in dropback EPA allowed, fifth in rushing EPA allowed, second in red zone defense and third in takeaways.
The Steelers have also allowed just one second-half touchdown this year. The Steelers were historically bad in the fourth quarter last season.
On a drive basis, the 2025 Steelers’ fourth-quarter defense ranked No. 32 in score rate per drive (60.4%), No. 32 in percentage of drives allowed to reach the red zone (40%), No. 31 in yards per drive allowed (36%) and No. 30 in punt rate forced (17%), according to Sharp Football. There have been 830 teams to play a season since 2000. The Steelers score rate of 60.4% ranked No. 826 of 830.
In addition, Matt Williamson of Steelers.com posted this eye-opening stat. 174 of the Steelers’ 387 points against came in the fourth quarter, the most total points allowed in the fourth quarter since the 2020 Las Vegas Raiders.
The Steelers sit atop the AFC North at 6-2 going into Week 9. Graham turning the defense back into an elite unit has been a big reason for the strong start.
Brendan Howe provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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