All-Star Player Under Fire After Taking Shot at Steelers Defense…

For the past month, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ situation has gotten worse before getting better. Week 15 saw the Steelers lose three straight games and look like they might collapse. It’s time for veterans of the team, like wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who has the longest contract among Pittsburgh’s offensive players, to take the reins and guide the team through this trying period.

But according to Steelers analyst and former defensive tackle Chris Hoke, Johnson is doing more harm than good.

After Johnson claimed that the “defense was leaking” after the Steelers’ 30–13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Hoke attacked the receiver on KDKA TV’s Extra Point postgame show.

“That’s why there’s no leadership on offense,” Hoke said of Johnson’s dig at the Pittsburgh defense, according to Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle. “I played 11 seasons with the Steelers, and we had some bad games at times. We never called each other out. We never said this defense was leaking.

“There’s been a lot of times that the offense couldn’t get a first down, and the Steelers defense bailed them out and won games for them, and they never went out and said, ‘Hey, the offense was leaking.’”

Diontae Johnson Says Steelers Defense Was ‘Leaking’ Against Colts

Even in the modern NFL, complementary football is still the best recipe for success, despite its cliched name. The most successful teams have their offense, defense, and special teams units all working in unison and supporting one another.

When one unit fails or is having a bad game, the other two have to make up the difference.

One could argue Johnson was actually trying to convey that message. If that was the case, though, he probably should have chosen his words more careful.

“Defense is leaking,” Johnson told reporters, via Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney. “They’ve got some players down, and it showed on the defense. Offense, we’ve just got to capitalize on third downs and just make plays.”

In other words, the Steelers offense needs to do more to help its defense. That’s Johnson holding some level of accountability for his own play.

But obviously, Hoke took major issue with the way Johnson phrased his sentiment.

“For him to say that is the definition of why this Steelers team has no leadership on offense,” said Hoke.

Steelers Defense Struggled Against Another Backup QB

In Week 15, the Steelers faced Gardner Minshew, another backup signal caller. Zack Moss, the running back, and star wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. were also injured during the game for the Colts.

But it didn’t matter. The Steelers inside linebackers couldn’t cover tight ends or running backs out of the flat again. Then in the second half, the Colts pummeled the Steelers with practice squad running backs in the ground game.

Indianapolis averaged 5 yards per carry while rushing for 170 yards. Minshew posted 7.7 yards per pass.

The Colts called 13 straight running plays in a single drive at one point in the second half. Simply put, the Steelers defense was unable to stop anything.

It’s obvious that Johnson was correct when he said in Week 15 that the Pittsburgh defense was leaking. However, this does not guarantee that an offensive player will say something that the Steelers defense will find agreeable.

especially considering that the majority of this season has seen the Steelers defense carry the offense.