Don’t look now: Steelers have the top pass defense in NFL
If that seems unbelievable, it should: the Steelers are currently the top-ranked pass defense in the league, relinquishing 147 passing yards per game, and 137.7 over their last three.
That’s nearly a 100-yard improvement from the previous season.
I could end the article with that statement alone, but in true Billy Mays fashion, I want to add “But wait, there’s more!”
Last year, I had similarly noted that the Steelers pass defense was taking a turn for the better. Once installing Sean Davis into his rightful position of safety and working Artie Burns into the starting lineup, Pittsburgh ripped off a nine-game winning streak before suffering a bad loss in the AFC Championship to the New England Patriots.
Back to the drawing board, it was for the Steelers, who drafted two cornerbacks (Cam Sutton, Brian Allen) and added veteran Coty Sensabaugh to compete with former second-round pick Senquez Golson, who was thought to finally be back to full health.
None of those players ended up being a factor in the team’s turnaround, however, as the Cleveland Browns parted ways with long-time shutdown corner Joe Haden, and the Steelers made another move for backup safety J.J. Wilcox, previously a member of Tampa Bay and Dallas. Along with the emergence of Golson’s college teammate, undrafted free agent Mike Hilton, the Steelers finally found footing in their defensive backfield.
With Mike Mitchell and Davis already installed as the starting safeties and Artie Burns comfortable entrenched on one side of the defense, Haden and Hilton completed the defensive nickel package the Steelers have transitioned to in recent years, playing 2/3 of their snaps in as opposed to their previous 3-4 base.
Add to the equation veteran CB William Gay, who had always seen far more success as a slot corner, as the new dime corner, and the evolution of the Steelers defense has come of age. The front seven also complete with the addition of rookie T.J. Watt and several younger stars such as Ryan Shazier, Bud Dupree, Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave mixing with veteran presences such as Cameron Heyward and Vince Williams, and we all see now what the Steelers defense can do when they have defensive backs capable of covering and players up front capable of bringing pressure.
With the league’s lowest passing yards-per-game average, the Steelers are also holding opposing quarterbacks to a fourth-best 70.9 quarterback rating. Their 24 sacks rank 2nd in the league. At home, the Steelers are holding opponents to 112 yards. Their overall 147 yards-per-game tops 2nd-best Jacksonville by 14 yards.
Those figures should only improve in the coming weeks. Their next test will be a trigger-happy Detroit Lions team led by Matt Stafford who averages 238 YPG, well below his career average of 275 yards. Stafford has also thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of his last six seasons.
Should they overcome the hurdles in Detroit, dates with struggling offenses are on the horizon? The Tennesee Titans and Indianapolis Colts each rank in the bottom third of the league in passing offense, while the Green Bay Packers dropped to 19th following the loss of All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers will play the Lions and Colts on the road, but host the Titans and Packers at Heinz Field.
Needless to say, a bye week and a mini-bye sandwiched into the next four-game schedule will help the defense get some rest and remain healthy, to continue on their upward, and unanticipated, defensive streak.
