Through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first nine games of the season, a defensive unit featuring a number of big names and is considered the clear strength of the team sits near the bottom of the league in a number of statistical categories.
Pittsburgh is 28th in total yards allowed per game (379.7), 27th in passing yards allowed per game (248.4) and tied for 25th in rushing yards allowed per game (131.2).
Yet, the Steelers are 6-3 on the season because of two key stats: takeaways (18, tied for first in NFL) and points per game allowed (20.2, tied for 10th).
The Steelers are the epitome of a bend-don’t-break defense, and right now that’s perfectly fine.
Former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor agrees, stating on the latest episode of the “Bleav In Steelers” podcast with co-host Mark Bergin that it’s a good defense to have in today’s NFL, and that it reminds him of the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won a Super Bowl in two of the last four seasons, appearing in the Super Bowl in three of the last four.
“In today’s NFL, that’s a good defense to have, that bend don’t break. Make them kick three or make ’em go the long field. Anytime you can keep a team under 21 points, boy you got action, you can win you lot of ball games — a lot — especially in today’s NFL,” Taylor said regarding the Steelers’ style of defense, according to video via Bergin’s YouTube page. “You can just look and see how the Kansas City Chiefs play. So the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense will kind of remind me of the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense. Right now it’s a bend don’t break kind of defense. And there’s there’s nothing wrong with that.
“Yeah, you gonna pick up your yards, you’re gonna get in the red zone, but guess what? Get your field goal kicker ready, ’cause you gotta kick three, you ain’t scoring seven.”
It’s worth noting that currently the Chiefs’ defense sits fourth in yards allowed per game at 288.2, is fifth in passing yards allowed and is 17th in rushing yards allowed per game. However, Kansas City is second in points per game allowed at just 15.9 points. They’re also tied for sixth in takeaways with 13. They’re not exactly bending, not breaking this season, but that’s the way they’ve played in the past. And it’s worked.
That’s how the Steelers are playing. And, to Pittsburgh’s credit, it’s working this season. They’re 6-3.
With the NFL catering more towards offense with rule changes and all that, it’s becoming hard and harder to play defense in today’s game. For the Steelers, even though they’ve invested heavily in the defensive side of the football in free agency and in the NFL draft, they realize right now that they are short-handed at key areas like safety and linebacker, so they are going to give up yards.
It doesn’t help that some of the cornerbacks that the Steelers were counting on coming into the season — namely Levi Wallace — have underperformed in a big, big way, too. So, the Steelers have adjusted.
Yes, they are giving up yards at an alarming clip, putting them near the bottom of the league. But you aren’t rewarded points for yards. When things get tight on their end of the field, more often than not the Steelers’ defense holds and gets off the field with either a turnover of forcing the opponent to kick three points.
That was on display in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers in a major way. The Steelers gave up a bunch of yards, but when the Packers drove deep into Pittsburgh territory, especially in the second half, the Steelers didn’t break. They held Green Bay to two field goals and then closed the game out in style. Cornerback Patrick Peterson tipped a pass to safety Keanu Neal for an interception in the end zone, and then safety Damontae Kazee called game on the final play from scrimmage, picking off Jordan Love to seal the 23–19 win.
It might not be pretty. Call it whatever you want. But don’t forget to call it winning football.
