Last night's run defense looked completely different from week one

[steelersbabex25]

Ray Rice last night - 18 carries for 43 yards
Ray Rice week one - 19 carries for 107 yards

Ricky Williams last night - 9 carries for 24 yards
Ricky Williams week one - 12 carries for 63 yards

Say what you want about Joe Flacco attacking our secondary, but the Ravens did try to run the ball a lot during the game, and our front 7 were doing an awesome job stopping their run game. A complete turn around from the game in week one when Ray Rice and the Ravens offensive line were having their way with our defense in terms of the run game. This week, the Ravens offense wasn't producing anything on the ground. If our secondary can play like they were playing the first half of the season, and the run defense can pay like they've been playing for the last few games, we might be able to actually put together a complete defense.

[Rampage]

They looked much better than week one, that's for sure. Really, the defense looked solid on first and second down. Third down, they looked like a bunch of Pop Warner players going up against Johnny Unitas.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

The Steelers did what they are supposed to do, shut down the run. They went into this game with the deliberate approach of making sure that Ray Rice didn't beat them. They accomplished that in typical Steelers style. What they weren't counting on was the secondary letting them down in such an epic fashion. Casey Hampon and McLendon were able to shed blocks, even double teams, and make sure that the holes were plugged up. We saw Hampton and Hood in the backfield on many occasions blowing up the play before it started. That's Steelers football the way you love it to be played.

When you look at that gameplan, in theory it's a solid one. You sell out to stop the run and let your secondary do their job like they have been all year. Perhaps it was just an apparition for that group and maybe next week they step up again to defend the pass. I mean if you can stop Tom Brady, you should certainly be able to stop Joe Flacco. I don't think I'm ready to throw in the terrible towel on that group just yet but clearly that game was cause for concern.

[LatrobePA]

They stopped the run and gave up the pass, hmmm...

Double edge sword I guess...

[SnakeEyes43]

It was like last year and 2009. Complete opposite of how we've been this year thus far. Kinda crazy. We shut down the run, but couldn't stop the pass attack when it mattered.

[SteelerSteve]

They looked much better than week one, that's for sure. Really, the defense looked solid on first and second down. Third down, they looked like a bunch of Pop Warner players going up against Johnny Unitas.

Yep, this......Letting them always convert on third down is really tough to watch. Chews the clock and wears out our defense. Frustrating!

[BlitzburghRockCity]

They looked much better than week one, that's for sure. Really, the defense looked solid on first and second down. Third down, they looked like a bunch of Pop Warner players going up against Johnny Unitas.

Yeah it was really giving me flashbacks of watching this team just continually put an offense in 3rd and long and not be able to get off the field. The encroachment penalties certainly didn't help either. You can't make those kind of mistakes in a close game like that.

I was happy to see Hampton be able to get a push, I was watching him last night he was playing with an extra giddy up in his step.