Pittsburgh Steelers make unexpected huge change on defense

Over the last few weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers have shifted increasingly toward Cameron Sutton over Beanie Bishop in the slot. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, it was never larger, as Sutton played 43 snaps while Bishop played zero snaps for the first time all season.

Sutton has played more than Bishop in the last three games, and in that time, Sutton has played safety and nickel. With the return of DeShon Elliott, the Steelers turned Sutton into the dimebacker or used Damontae Kazee rather than turning to Bishop.

The Steelers likely feel limited by Bishop’s coverage limitations. He has struggled in man coverage this season but is a ballhawk who can make plays in zone coverage. Sutton has been in the NFL far longer, and the Steelers trust his versatility to execute that role at a higher level. since returning from his suspension, they have turned to him.

At times, Sutton has struggled with man coverage. So, the Steelers have gone away from that and tried to play more basic looks, yet the miscommunication continues to pop up. The Steelers have a communication issue, and a veteran like Sutton should be able to help that. However, it has festered over the last two weeks far too much, and Pittsburgh has to figure out what is going on.