Following each game in the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers season, I will highlight the event or string of events in the game that is the turning point. Not all turning points will be earth-shattering but are meant to give a unique look at how we arrived at the outcome of the game, one that may be hard to see during the live watch.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were up two scores on the Indianapolis Colts in the first half a week ago, but the defense failed to play complementary football. Especially as the game wore on, attrition at safety sent the Steelers’ defense into a tailspin. They allowed the Colts back into the game before halftime which enabled them to maintain a balanced attack, eventually exposing the Steelers’ up the middle of their injury-riddled defense.
It was a different story against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. After going up 7-0 early in the first quarter, the defense allowed a 10-play drive all the way into the red zone before S Patrick Peterson picked off an errant throwaway in the end zone.
The offense made the most of the turnover by driving 80-yards on a ten play drive for their second score. When the Steelers got the ball next, they were forced to punt after gaining just three yards. ILB Elandon Roberts got injured on the first play of the drive and it started to feel eerily similar to the Colts game the week prior. Roberts has been a stabilizing force for the inside linebacker group and he wears the green dot on his helmet to take communications from the sideline. Could the Steelers’ defense sustain another injury up the middle?
S Eric Rowe ended those doubts and all but put the game away a few plays later by intercepting QB Jake Browning. He ran the ball back to the 14-yard line and set up an easy touchdown for the Steelers to make the score 21-0.
The Steelers never really felt the full effects of Roberts’ injury because they kept their foot on the gas pedal and entered halftime 24-0. The Bengals all but abandoned the run and their one-dimensional passing game alleviated a lot of pressure on the defense. Browning needed to take shots down the field and could no longer lean on the run or utilize a quick-passing attack. With longer dropbacks, the Steelers’ defenders were able to pin their ears back and make life difficult for the young quarterback. Browning was sacked three times, but was hit a total of eight times under pressure. The game played out in that manner due to great complementary football.
