'We just have to play simple defense': Minkah Fitzpatrick says secondary needs to play fast

Despite being so talented, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense lacks continuity and cohesion. Aside from some core pieces like Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and TJ Watt, there have been a lot of young players and new faces on defense over the last year or two.

Right now the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, while the opposite must be true. Minkah Fitzpatrick seems to have a solution in mind.

“I think we just have to play simple defense,” Fitzpatrick said in a video posted to YouTube by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “We got a lot of talent in the secondary. A lot of people who could play man play zone. We just have to make a play call, simplify it and play fast – allow us to play fast.”

Last year, Mike Tomling talked about making play calls in December with September staff. This came after a series of injuries at safety and inside linebacker. It forced the Steelers to adjust their scheme and play calls so players could play without much thought.

Could it be possible for the Steelers to make their December play calls in early October? Based on what Fitzpatrick said, it really seems like it is.

If you listen to what some of the other defenders said after the game, there were communication problems and inconsistencies in defense.

The unit is only as good as its weakest link, and unfortunately it finds itself in a situation where an undrafted free agent is starting. There were several occasions during the game where Beanie Bishop Jr. looked lost, and it seems like teams are starting to take notice as most concepts are designed to load him in the slot.

Part of the struggle, as Fitzpatrick eluded to, may lie in the complexity of the defense's rules and schemes. Maybe they can evolve to be able to play more complex schemes, but they have the individual talent to play more man and let their guys shine in one-on-one situations.

They added a lot of speed to the defense this offseason with Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Donte Jackson and others. This speed isn't as outstanding on tape as it could have been.