Good morning,

The chief concern about the 2014 Steelers entering the season was a defense that has been transitioning for the past few years from one of the best in the NFL to one of the youngest.

The results after one game were not good.

Players missed tackles, players were out of position and the oldest players looked older. Ike Taylor dropped an interception that might not have needed all the late game heroics to pull out a Steelers victory – but the young Taylor would have dropped that one too; it’s been his MO.

But Taylor was beaten badly on the tying touchdown pass by backup receiver Travis Benjamin, who caught five passes last season in eight games with the Browns.

Troy Polamalu “led” the defense with 11 tackles, six solo and five assists, but that was due more to him not making plays on the ball and having to tackle the receiver instead.

Rookie Ryan Shazier made some good plays, including a behind-line emphatic tackle, but also was out of position and missed tackles on others. Fellow rookie Stephon Tuitt had no impact and did not make the tackle stats.

It may be unfair to point out individuals who missed tackles because all of them virtually did.

The Browns did this with Brian Hoyer at quarterback and in the second half without starting halfback Ben Tate and tight end Jordan Cameron. Both left the game with injuries. The NFL’s leading receiver in 2013, Josh Gordon, did not play because he was suspended by the NFL.

“We all just need to get gap sound,’’ said defensive end Brett Keisel, who played more snaps than he expected on Sunday. “We all need to be on the same page.

“Every one of us has a job to do and if there is a breakdown with anybody, it can be exploited. Everyone has to do their part.”

Hoyer helped them along in the first half when he was firing passes into the ground or high over his receivers’ heads. That is, except for that long one to Cameron, who beat linebacker Lawrence Timmons deep for a 47-yard reception that set up the Browns’ field goal in the first half.

Had Hoyer been more on point in the first half, that 27-3 score might have been closer.

The Steelers were fortunate to win, but if they play defense like that against teams with a better offense, they’ll be in for bigger trouble than the Browns gave them Sunday.

Onto some other stuff:

--- Losing Dri Archer to a ankle injury did not help the Steelers offense in the second half. He left in a boot, which is not a good sign for him to be ready to play by Thursday against Baltimore.

--- The Steelers could see Josh Gordon when they play at Cleveland Oct. 12. When the NFL and union agree on a new drug policy, Gordon’s “year-long” ban probably will be lifted because

his marijuana test was borderline and would not be considered a positive test under the new policy. How might he have tested that worn-down secondary Sunday?

--- The clip of Antonio Brown high-stepping punter Spencer Lanning in the face will be seen for years.

--- It would be hard to fault the Steelers offense for anything it did in the first half but that second-down pass from the 14 to LeGarrette Blount into the end zone would be one. It’s possible they called the play for Le’Veon Bell and forgot it was Blount in the game.

--- Ben Roethlisberger was sacked seven times in a seven-game stretch in the second half of last season. He was sacked four times Sunday, three in the second half. This also may be unfair, but that puts him on pace for 64 sacks in 2014.

--- Then again, Jarvis Jones, Cam Heyward and Jason Worilds each are on pace for 16.

--- The Steelers came close to having three 100-yard receivers and a 300-yard passer for the first time since 1968. Roethlisberger had 365 yards passing, Antonio Brown had 116 receiving, Markus Wheaton had 97 and Bell had 88. Bell also had 109 yards rushing and my quick research could not find an instance in which the Steelers had three 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher.

--- They had not had a 300-yard passer and 100-yard receiver since 2009 until yesterday.

--- It may have been his most unusual way of performing it, but that was Roethlisberger’s 34th winning drive in either the fourth quarter or overtime, counting regular and post-season games.

--- The Steelers made it 11 straight at home against the Browns, tying for the fifth-longest winning streak at home by any NFL team against any opponent. Incredibly, the Green Gay Packers lead with 22 straight home wins against the Detroit Lions.

First Published: April 6, 2016, 4:10 p.m.