The Pittsburgh Steelers boasted one of the best defenses in the league in 2019. Here’s why Pro Football Focus has them ranked third heading into 2020.
The Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t able to make the playoffs in 2019 after their offense fell off a cliff with three straight games of 10 points to close out the season. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to look forward to in 2020.
Right now, all eyes are on Ben Roethlisberger and his shiny new weapons. In addition to the Steelers franchise quarterback returning to the field, fans are excited to witness players like Eric Ebron, Chase Claypool, and Anthony McFarland in action. They also want to see what strides young skills players like Diontae Johnson, James Washington, and Benny Snell have made after promising seasons in 2019.
Somehow, Pittsburgh’s stellar defensive unit has become an afterthought this offseason. Recently, Pro Football Focus ranked the NFL’s best defenses heading into the 2020 sesaon. They had the Steelers at number three:
PFF's Top 3 Defenses heading into 2020:
— PFF (@PFF) September 3, 2020
1. Niners
2. Ravens
3. Steelers
Which duo are you riding with? pic.twitter.com/CDiL4c7NLP
While many fans believe there isn’t a unit in the league better than Pittsburgh’s, this is a fair assessment. If you recall, the Steelers really struggled in the first two weeks of the season – allowing their opponents to score 30.5 points per game to open the year.
However, things turned around drastically when Minkah Fitzpatrick came to town. From Week 3 on, the Steelers did not allow more than 28 points in a single game for the remainder of the season, and they held their opponents to 17 points or less a whopping 9 times.
Despite this success, it’s important to consider that much of the low scoring allowed was due to the insane amount turnovers Pittsburgh created last year. The Steelers led the league with 38 takeaways in 2019. Unfortunately, this number isn’t sustainable and it is very unlikely to be repeated this year. This could mean that Keith Butler’s unit may have a tougher time holding teams under 17 points.
On the flip side, a drastically improved offense should help the cause. The Steelers were near the bottom of the league in time of possession last year, and because they couldn’t consistently move the ball on offense, they also allowed great starting field positions to their opponents in 2019.
With Roethlisberger returning alongside a deep and improved set of skill players, there is plenty of reason to believe that this offense will not only score more points but also sustain longer drives. By doing so, it will give the defense more time to rest on the sideline and better starting positions when they return to the field.
With three first-team All-Pro players returning to the lineup in T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Cameron Heyward, this unit will certainly be in contention for one of the best in the league in 2020. At worst, it’s hard to envision them falling out of the top six this year.