The Steelers rely so heavily on turnovers that they’ve turned it into a culture, replete with the appropriate attire. The problem is, they have a tough time winning when they don’t create them. They managed it once this season, but against a decent offense, the results are not kind.
And unfortunately for the Steelers, getting turnovers this week won’t be easy. Going into Week 8, their next opponent, the Packers, has only turned the ball over three times. QB Jordan Love has two interceptions at a 1.1-percent rate. They have only fumbled four times in total—three by Love—losing just one of them.
At the moment, the Steelers are in the midst of a two-game, nine-quarter turnover drought. They haven’t had a turnover on American soil since Week 3 against the Patriots in Foxboro. Granted, they created five turnovers that day, and had a three-game streak of at least two.
Even during a drought, the Steelers still rank third in the NFL with 10 total takeaways. They have five interceptions, virtually all of them created off of batted passes. They have also produced five recovered fumbles, including one on special teams.
Overall, they have been better on the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers rank seventh in the NFL with just five turnovers on offense, going without even one three times in six games. But they turned it over twice against the Bengals while failing to take the ball back even once.
It was the first time the Steelers lost the turnover battle all season, though they still nearly won. The offense produced a fourth-quarter comeback, but the defense couldn’t hold it for one drive. The point is, one single turnover could have made the difference at any point in that game. There’s a reason they hand out t-shirts when someone takes the ball away. They understand how important it is to them, and now they have a game’s worth of tape to illustrate it.
After the Steelers’ last loss, CB Darius Slay said they were relying too much on turnovers. Right now, the defense lacks the play-to-play consistency to beat better offenses without splash plays. When they don’t get them, a Joe Flacco-led unit can put up 470 yards and 33 points.
And the Packers certainly have the type of offense to take advantage, too. Green Bay currently ranks seventh in scoring and 14th in yards. Couple that with their ball security, and the Steelers will struggle unless they can produce turnovers.
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