Training camp at Saint Vincent College is over. That's just one of the signs that the NFL regular season is rapidly approaching. In turn, the Steelers now return to the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex to prepare for the final preseason game.
Once the final whistle blows Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium, everything gets real.
There's plenty to take away from three-plus weeks in Latrobe and two preseason games. The secondary comes with arguably the most questions that need answered on the defensive side of the ball, even with Minkah Fitzpatrick as the unit's anchor, the addition of Levi Wallace in free agency and the scary lack of depth behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the edges. But, with a front reinforced by the Larry Ogunjobi and Myles Jack signings, the secondary should benefit and be better in 2022.
And that's the expectation.
"I think we've done a lot of good things leading out of training camp to the second preseason game," Wallace told me Monday. "I think we still have some things to work on. We didn't get off the field good enough on third down the other day. Then just consistency in tackling, as well as our run defense. Things we just got to continue to build on."
Tackling has been a big emphasis within the group thus far, and it's showed in flashes throughout practice and the preseason. Though Mike Tomlin emphasized the defense's ability to win "weighted" and possession downs as a catalyst for the 16-15 victory over the Jaguars, as Wallace pointed out, they weren't happy with the 10-for-20 performance on third down.
Part of that issue was Trevor Lawrence finding holes in zone coverage. That's an area the secondary has to tighten up before they face Joe Burrow and his talented receivers in Week 1.
"A lot of it is on us," Wallace said. "It's not really so much of what (Lawrence) did. It's the NFL. Pro quarterbacks are gonna find those holes when you're in the wrong position. We have to be better in our communication, honestly. Then just executing. That's what it comes down to."
So far, the secondary has looked better when in man coverage. The addition of Wallace in free agency, along with guys like Cam Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon, the Steelers have guys who have the ability to succeed in man coverage. But being able to minimize the damage against zone coverage can help this defense from being good to being one of the best in the NFL.
"I think we're a very confident defense, honestly," Wallace said. "Man, zone -- it doesn't really matter. We believe in ourselves. Like I said, I think it just comes down to execution and attention to detail. Once we get that corrected, we should definitely be getting off the field a lot more, and it just starts in practice."
There's one more preseason game to prepare for, then it's go time. The largest deficit on the defense one season ago was finishing dead last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. Any improvement on that should benefit the secondary, and thus make the collective group better.
But this group isn't going to rely on that to happen. Not because it can't, but because they plan to make good on the confidence they have in each other to get the job done.
"Honestly, I haven't even paid attention to the D-line. I look a lot in secondary because (what they do) doesn't really matter," Wallace said. "However long, we have to be able to cover. There's a lot of very mobile quarterbacks, especially in this division alone. Offense is going to make plays. There are some really great quarterbacks in this league. I feel like every team has a mobile quarterback these days. So, it comes back to us and how we cover. It doesn't matter how long."
