It might not resemble the old Steel Curtain, but after getting off to a terrible start the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is improving, showing signs that it could be an above-average unit.
The Steelers defense was torched for an average of 30 points through the team’s first four games, ranking it near the bottom in defensive statistics. No wonder that the team went 1-2-1 during that span.
However, the defense has definitely improved since then, leading the way to wins over the high-powered offenses of the Atlanta Falcons and the Cincinnati Bengals.
In those two games, the Steelers defense gave up only 39 points, an average of 19.5 per game. If they can keep up their stingy play, they figure to be among the league leaders by season’s end. Only four teams have given up less than 19 points a game this season. The Baltimore Ravens are first at 14.4 per game followed by the Dallas Cowboys at 17.6, the Tennessee Titans at 18.1 and the Los Angeles Rams at 18.3.
Overall, the Steelers have given up an average of 25.7 points per game, 21st first in the NFL. That’s just a shade behind the New England Patriots who have given up 25.6 points per game.
The Cleveland Browns, who come to Pittsburgh Sunday, are tied for 18th with the Miami Dolphins, yielding an average of 25.1 points per game.
Defensive Numbers Showing Improvement
Other defensive numbers are also showing some improvement. After being among the league’s worst teams in passing yards per game, the Steelers now rank 23rd, giving up 380.2 yards per game through the air. It’s interesting to note that the Patriots rank 25th, giving up an average of 389.9 passing yards per game.
The Steelers are much better against the run, giving up only 97.8 yards per game on the ground. That’s the 11th lowest mark in the league. The New Orleans Saints lead the league, giving up only 72.3 rushing yards per game. The Arizona Cardinals are last, yielding 148.3 yards on the ground. New England is ranked 21st, giving up 114 rushing yards per game.
Steelers Among Sack Leaders
A strong point of the Steelers defense has been their pass rush. They have 22 sacks, 3.6 per game. Last year, the Steelers had 3.5 sacks per game on their way to setting a team record with 56 sacks.
With the 22 sacks, the Steelers are tied for second with the Denver Broncos. The only team ahead of them is the Ravens who have 27 sacks while playing one more game than the Steelers. The Oakland Raiders rank last with only seven sacks. That’s slightly behind the Patriots who are 31st with only nine sacks.
The Steelers could use some help in the turnover department. Their four interceptions have them tied for 22nd with four other teams. Their four recovered fumbles have them tied for 12th with seven other teams, including the Patriots.
Steelers Offense Showing Improvement
Also showing improvement is the Steelers offense which has averaged 34.5 points per game over its last two outings. For the season, the Steelers are averaging 28.5 points per game, which is the fifth highest in the league. New England is fourth, scoring 30.6 points per game. Kansas City is first, averaging 37.1 points per game followed by the Saints and Rams, who are averaging 34 and 33.6 points per game, respectively.
If both the offense and defense can continue to get better as the season goes along, the result should be a fifth consecutive playoff appearance for the Black and Gold and perhaps the franchise’s ninth trip to the Super Bowl.
But a big key will be the Steelers defense, which must continue to improve. With the offense the Steelers have, it doesn’t need to be the Steel Curtain of the 1970s, but it can’t be the group that showed up for the first four games of the season either.
