The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been hit and miss and, depending on the game, far more of the one than the other. One thing that has been consistent, even through its warts, has been a heavy dose of splash plays. Evaluating his defense through the first five games, DC Teryl Austin was quick to point to the big plays the Steelers have generated.
“I like our hustle,” Austin said via the team’s YouTube channel Tuesday. “I like how we’re taking the ball away. I like the way we can create splash. Whether it be sacks, just in terms of that thing.”
The numbers back Austin’s assertion up. Entering Week Six, the Steelers are tied for second in the NFL with 11 takeaways, only trailing the Dallas Cowboys. The teams that surround the Steelers on that list all have done a far better job of keeping the scoring down — Pittsburgh’s defense is just 17th in points per game allowed — but their ability to create the splash play has made up for their multiple issues: the poor run defense, the below-average cornerback play, the injuries.
Pittsburgh’s averaged one interception per game. CB Levi Wallace has a pair while CB Patrick Peterson, CB Joey Porter Jr., and OLB Alex Highsmith each have one. They’ve often come in huge moments. Wallace’s pick sealed a game over Las Vegas, Porter’s basically saved the day against Baltimore, and Highsmith’s provided direct points, a pick-six, in a one-score win over Cleveland.
They’ve also been aggressive at ripping the football out. Eleven forced fumbles in five games, two more than they had all of 2022, and their six recoveries tie the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles for tops in the NFL. T.J. Watt, Cole Holcomb, and Highsmith have a pair. They forced three fumbles in Sunday’s win over the Ravens. DL Larry Ogunjobi had an awesome hustle play on a screen pass while Highsmith knocked the ball out of QB Lamar Jackson’s hand, recovered by Watt. Both of Highsmith’s sacks have turned into fumbles recovered by Watt.
While the defense must be more consistent, the name of the game in today’s league are sacks and takeaways. Stealing possessions keeps the score down and often gives your offense good field position, something Pittsburgh clearly needs. If you’re not going to be an elite defense, you better at least be a splashy one, and that’s the Steelers’ personality right now.
