The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is known for its takeaways. A culture that is cultivated and worked towards, the Steelers top the charts in turnovers forced year-after-year. But for the last nine quarters – and counting – those moments have been absent.
The last turnover Pittsburgh’s defense forced came in the third quarter of its Week 4 Dublin victory over the Minnesota Vikings. T.J. Watt keying QB Carson Wentz and picking off a throw over the middle. One of two takeaways, and five sacks, Pittsburgh forced in the win.
Since, the Steelers have gone without. To be sure, Pittsburgh had a strong defensive outing against the Cleveland Browns. The group held rookie Dillon Gabriel and company to zero touchdowns, three field goals, and six sacks. But they failed to take the ball away. Upwards of three interceptions were dropped. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers didn’t come close to getting their hands on the ball. The Bengals showed a clean sheet and won the turnover battle plus-2, a catalyst to a two-point victory.
The nine quarter drought is the longest one Pittsburgh’s experienced during the regular season since a 10-quarter streak in 2022 across Weeks 14-16 before picking off Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr in the third quarter.
Obvious as it is, Pittsburgh’s ability to create turnovers is a difference-maker. That’s not inherently bad, either. In the modern NFL, every offense can move the ball. The elixir isn’t shutting team’s down in their tracks. It’s taking the ball away. Stealing a possession and shortening the field for your own offense. And turnovers aren’t pure luck. That can be an element, the bounce of an oblong football, but it’s part scheme and mindset. It’s coached and learned. Pittsburgh’s lacked here in recent weeks.
Breaking it against Green Bay won’t be easy. Entering Week 7, the Packers have turned it over just three times all season, though it’s come once in each of the last three games. How today’s game against the Arizona Cardinals remains to be seen but Green Bay has protected the ball. It’s why they’re 3-1-1 and leading the NFC North (again, entering today).
When the turnover well runs dry, so does the Steelers’ cultural foundation. A turnover or two could’ve masked, for a moment, Pittsburgh’s run defense woes of Ja’Marr Chase’s career night. That didn’t happen. And it needs to next Sunday night or else Pittsburgh’s single loss could turn into the first losing streak of 2025.
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