Wobbly Steelers trying to regroup before Jags' return

PITTSBURGH -- His arm in a sling because of a torn biceps injury, Aaron Smith walked through the Pittsburgh Steelers' offices Monday accompanied by his two children. Steelers execs who spotted him shook their heads.

They knew the defensive end's value to the Steelers defense before his season-ending injury. Without him, the Steelers don't look like the Steelers. In the team's final three regular-season games the Steelers' defense surrendered averages of 165 rushing yards and 28 points. The Steelers were so good with Smith that they managed to finish as the league's No. 1 defense despite the collapse.

Saturday night's AFC playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars is the team's first return to Heinz Field since a 29-22 loss to the Jaguars in which they gave up an unprecedented 224 yards on the ground. The defense known for preventing 100-yard rushing games at Heinz Field just spent two weeks on the road trying to adjust to the loss of Smith. Now, it has until Saturday night to find answers or slip into the offseason.

"I know it's something that as long as I've been here I've never seen happen here," defensive end Brett Keisel said of the Jaguars' rushing success.

"Guys are trying to do too much. We aren't staying in our gaps. We'll be OK. Aaron is such a good player. He's so underrated in this league in my opinion. He definitely makes a difference when he's out there."

Life without Smith -- who is being replaced by the combination of Nick Eason and Travis Kirschke -- isn't the only Steelers' concern:

•  They lost their main running threat who sets up their play-action game when halfback Willie Parker broke his leg Dec. 20 in St. Louis. Najeh Davenport is a back built in the mold of Jerome Bettis, but he isn't going to produce long runs. With Parker in the lineup, the Steelers ground game was far more explosive; he produced 13 runs of 20 yards or more.

•  The offensive line is down to its third left tackle, Trai Essex. Starting left tackle Marvel Smith underwent back surgery last week. His earliest possible return would be an AFC Championship Game, but that might be an optimistic forecast. Max Starks, the former starting right tackle, suffered a season-ending knee injury Sunday in Baltimore. Essex will be making his first start against the Jaguars.

•  Depth will be at a premium because of other injuries. Backup cornerback Bryant McFadden reinjured his ankle in the Ravens game. Safety Troy Polamalu has inflammation in his knee, an injury that's bothered him all year. He will be limited in practice early this week. Cornerback Deshea Townsend will be limited because of foot discomfort. Wide receiver Hines Ward has a sore knee. Linebacker Clint Kriewaldt is headed to the injured reserve list. Cornerback-kick-returner Allen Rossum has a hamstring injury.

A month ago, the Steelers appeared to move ahead of the Colts as the AFC possible No. 2 seed. Since then, they've been in a rapid decline because of injuries. Within the first few minutes of Mike Tomlin's postgame news conference following the loss to Baltimore, Tomlin embraced the playoffs by saying "Ready or not, here we come."

Tomlin made Monday a mental day for the Steelers. They met and watched tape. Tuesday was a day off. The Steelers returned to the practice field Wednesday to try to regain their persona. Can the Steelers still be the Steelers despite the loss of their best defensive end, two tackles and a running back who led the league in rushing before breaking his leg?

The first priority is defense. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will spend the week making sure every defender stays in their gaps. The Steelers' 3-4 scheme is known for the gap integrity of the front seven. Smith's injury came the week before the Jaguars game.

"We're upset about the last couple of weeks,"' Keisel said. "We weren't staying in our gaps. Guys were trying to do too much and teams are gashing us."

Tomlin spoke Tuesday of better tackling and better execution.

"I don't know if people have blocked us differently," Tomlin told reporters Tuesday when asked if teams are game planning differently with Smith out for the season. "They have blocked us effectively. We have to combat that with quality play. We have to shed blocks, beat tackles, run to the football and, when you get there, tackle."

Players expect coaches to harangue them this week.

"We need it, we need to get refocused and figure out the best way to solve all these problems,'' Keisel said. "If we're not shutting running teams down, we're going to be watching in the playoffs. We have very good coaches here. They are very good at figuring out what's going on and getting things adjusted."

On offense, the team has to rally around Ben Roethlisberger. Moving the ball through the air could be difficult, though. The Jaguars won't honor play-action fakes as much with Parker out of the lineup.

Now, down two left tackles, it's going to be harder for the Steelers to block the pass rush conventionally. Tomlin is concerned the Steelers are losing their swagger.

"That's a concern," he told reporters Tuesday. "A lot of things are of concern. I tend to take the approach of what lies ahead. What lies ahead is an enormous playoff game versus a great football team at our place. So that is our focus. We have to prepare ourselves. We have some guys that understand the gravity of the moment."

Keisel expects a very physical game.

"I'm just healing up now from the last game against Jacksonville," Keisel said. "This will be very physical."

John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

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