The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been successful for a slew of reasons. They can stop the run. They can rush the passer. They can take away the opponent’s top weapon and force offenses to win with Plan B and Plan C. There isn’t much said about this defense that hasn’t already been talked about.
But the one stat missed is admittedly a hidden one: interception return yards. Pittsburgh is fourth in the NFL with 184 of them, and their ability to not just make the splash play but impact the moments after it is key.
Entering Week 15, the Steelers are fourth league-wide in interception return yards with 184. Only the Denver Broncos (409, one-quarter of that thanks to a 100-yard Patrick Surtain pick-six), Seattle Seahawks (254), and Houston Texans (187) have more.
In fairness, the Steelers are nearly tops in the league with 15 total interceptions, giving them more chances to return them. But I won’t penalize them for being too good at taking the ball away, even on a relative basis. For example, they’re essentially tied with the Texans from a per-return standpoint.
Here’s the return yardage of each of Pittsburgh’s picks from most to least.
Donte Jackson – 49 yards (Falcons)
Beanie Bishop Jr. – 41 yards (Jets)
Donte Jackson – 24 yards (Raiders)
James Pierre – 18 yards (Browns)
Joey Porter Jr. – 16 yards (Cowboys)
Donte Jackson – 11 yards (Bengals)
Keeanu Benton – 11 yards (Browns)
Beanie Bishop Jr. – 5 yards (Giants)
Damontae Kazee – 5 yards (Broncos)
Donte Jackson – 2 yards (Cowboys)
Donte Jackson – 2 yards (Browns)
Payton Wilson – 0 yards (Ravens)
DeShon Elliott – 0 yards (Falcons)
Cory Trice Jr. – 0 yards (Broncos)
Beanie Bishop Jr. – 0 yards (Jets)
And here are the individual totals.
Donte Jackson – 88 yards
Beanie Bishop Jr. – 46 yards
James Pierre – 18 yards
Joey Porter Jr. – 16 yards
Keenau Benton – 11 yards
Damontae Kazee – 5 yards
DeShon Elliott/Payton Wilson/Cory Trice Jr. – 0 yards
Jackson ranks fifth in the league in interception return yards trailing only Surtain (128), Rams’ S Kamren Kinchens (112), Packers’ S Xavier McKinney, and hilariously, Seahawks’ DL Leonard Williams thanks to his 92-yard pick-six of Aaron Rodgers earlier this month.
Obviously, some of this is better fortune. A “hard” interception requiring a spectacular catch doesn’t lend itself to a long return. A lame duck caught in space allows for a quality runback. But there’s also something about a defense that is able to immediately transition from defense to offense, throwing blocks out in space. A Steelers’ team with a coach who imparted that lesson ahead of a 100-yard pick-six in the Super Bowl understands that well.
On Jackson’s 49-yard return in the opener, LBs Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen didn’t throw key blocks, but they led the way and were obstacles Falcons’ players struggled to get around, allowing Jackson to nearly square.
My favorite example comes on Bishop’s second interception off Jets QB Aaron Rodgers. The efforts made by several Steelers to get their head around, run, and try to find someone to block. James Pierre had a key one that nearly sprung Bishop for the score until WR Davante Adams made a great hustle play to save six.
Even Pierre’s pick against the Browns displayed it well. Despite the interception being functionally enough to end any threat of a comeback, he had the presence to get up and start taking off immediately. Queen and DeShon Elliott turned into blockers and paved the way for a 16-yard runback. It wasn’t terribly consequential, but it’s the right mentality.
If the Steelers can get their hands on a Jalen Hurts pass today against Philadelphia, any yards on the return will be key to winning the battle of field position and winning the game.
