Since Tyson Alualu suffered a sprained MCL in his knee just six snaps into the Steelers' win two weeks ago against the Ravens in Baltimore, the team's run defense has been, well, abysmal.
Isaiah Buggs, Henry Mondeaux and even rookie seventh-round draft pick Carlos Davis have been pressed into playing increased snaps not just because of the loss of Alualu, the Steelers' starting nose tackle, but because Chris Wormley, a top backup, also was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered prior to the game.
Suddenly, an area of depth had become extremely thin. Mondeaux was signed off the practice squad, while Davis, who had been inactive through the first seven games of the season, saw his first action in last week's win over the Cowboys.
The Steelers have weathered the storm up front thus far. They'll take an 8-0 record into Sunday's game against the Bengals (2-5-1), but they're walking a very narrow path up front, having allowed 409 rushing yards in their past two games after giving up just 413 in their first six games.
Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar implemented a rotation among the team's defensive linemen since joining the team three years ago. But starers Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt haven't gotten as much rotation since Wormley and Alualu went down.
Against the Ravens, that meant they played 75 and 76 snaps, respectively. Last week against the Cowboys, they both played 89 percent of the defensive snaps, 64 each. The Steelers want to avoid wearing two of their biggest assets down by year's end as happened in 2017 when the Steelers leaned heavily on their defensive starters during the regular season only to see them worn down for the playoffs.
That led to the Steelers getting bounced from the postseason in their first game, a loss to the Jaguars.
But right now, they don't have much of a choice.
"I think the game dictates how much they really play because we have had some games where we didn’t have a lot of 10, 12 play drives, and our offense was controlling the ballgame," Dunbar said before practice Wednesday on the South Side. "They could go back on the field and be fresh. These last couple games, these young guys, Henry and Buggs had to step up. This game with Tyson being hurt, Davis came in and gave us some good, solid snaps."
The Steelers could get Alualu back as soon as this weekend. He was a limited participant Wednesday. Wormley could be designated to return from injured reserve soon, as well.
"I think (Wormley) still has another week, but to have Tyson back, he provides that leadership," Heyward said. "But he's got to take care of his body. I don't think we can just throw anybody out there to throw somebody out there. We want Tyson 100 percent when he comes back. If he's not, it's going to be up to Buggs, Carlos and Henry to hold it down."
Despite allowing all of those rushing yards in the past two weeks, the Steelers have given up just 43 points. More importantly, they've won the games.
And they can use these games as teachable moments for the young defensive linemen. Buggs, who did not practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury, has played 54 defensive snaps in the past two weeks, while Mondeaux and Davis have gotten 34 and 16, respectively.
"They are on the team for a reason," Dunbar said of that group. "They are backups, and they got called to duty. I think they did a great job. I think I always knew they could help us. We didn’t know how much they could help us because we have Wormley and we have Tyson, but when those guys got banged up, I think Buggs and Mondeaux and Davis, they answered the call."
They might have answered the call, but it's certainly not been to the level at which the Steelers had grown accustomed to stopping the run.
The young defensive linemen haven't been solely to blame for that issue. The Steelers also lost inside linebacker Devin Bush three games ago to a torn ACL. And nickel cornerback Mike Hilton -- a big part of their run-stuffing defense -- was injured in that same game against the Browns, suffering a shoulder injury. Hilton practiced fully Wednesday and is expected to return this week against the Bengals.
But there is little doubt that stuffing the run starts up front.
"I think they're coming along pretty good. Everybody is a work in progress, including myself," said Heyward. "I don't think we're a team that's ready to win the Super Bowl. We've got to keep progressing. Our younger guys have to keep taking major steps, whether it's good hand work, good footwork, staying in our gaps, understanding the situational things that come along. All of that is going to come with time. It's my job to keep pressing those things to make sure that down the road, they don't keep making those same mistakes."
• In addition to Hilton, fullback Derek Watt (hamstring) also was a full participant at practice Wednesday. JuJu Smith-Schuster, as usual, did not practice on Wednesday because of a knee issue that has bothered him all season.