Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin on the Threat the Raiders' Defense Poses

The Las Vegas Raiders will need a strong defensive outing to have a chance at defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at home on Sunday.

Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before they play the Las Vegas Raiders at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images / Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense has been inconsistent this season.

You can make the injury excuse, but at the end of the day, these are professionals, and they must take it upon themselves to step up when their number is called.

Sunday's outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers will be telling of where this unit stands. Without Christian Wilkins leading the interior of the defensive line, it's going to be yet another week of embracing the next-man-up mentality. How this unit performs on its own turf on Sunday will say a lot about where it goes the rest of the way.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will be prepared for it.

The longtime head coach knows what Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can do with this group, which will make this Week 6 matchup all the more challenging for a Raiders' defense that needs to respond positively to last week's showing.

"They've got some top quality people on the back end, man, some ball skill corners, a good safety rotation of guys," Tomlin said earlier this week. "They play a lot of people, as I mentioned. When I was talking about Patrick Graham schematically, particularly in situational moments, his utilization of personnel. He'll go nickel 4-2, nickel 5-1. He'll go dime. He'll put six DBs on the field in one-dimensional passive moments. Out of all of those personnel groups, he has a solid complementary package of blitzes, strong side stuff, weak side stuff, zone blitzes, man concepts. It just does a really good job of working to keep coordinators and offensive units off-balance with a well-thought-of mix of aggressive football."

Sunday's contest will be another reunion between Tomlin and Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane, who spent four seasons in Pittsburgh.

"At the second level, just got a lot of respect for Robert Spillane," Tomlin said. "Had a lot of respect for him when he was here, in terms of his approach to business. It's really good to see how his career has taken off in Las Vegas. I think he's their defensive captain. He's a splash playmaker. He made a ridiculous amount of tackles a year ago, but also had plays on the ball in terms of turnovers, three or four interceptions. He's doing similar things for him this year. He's an all-circumstances [guy]. He's a really good communicator, doing a really good job for those guys."

This Week 6 meeting will be the third straight year the Raiders will face Tomlin's Steelers. Las Vegas has lost the last two meetings and will be looking to end that streak and improve to 3-3 at home.

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