Through the first three weeks of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has been nothing short of incredible. They’re allowing just 8.7 points per game—the best in the league—and have held opponents to an average of only 229.7 yards per game – also the best in the league. Their pass defense has been equally impressive, giving up just 158.3 passing yards per game, ranking fifth overall, while consistently pressuring quarterbacks with a 39.1% pressure rate, sixth-best in the NFL. On the ground, they’ve been a brick wall, allowing only 71.3 rushing yards per game, good for third in the league. Incredibly, the Steelers have only given up two touchdowns in their first three games.

Digging deeper into advanced stats curtesy of NFL Pro, the Steelers’ defense is outstanding in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play allowed, which measures how well a defense stops an opponent from turning yards into points. The Steelers’ defense has an EPA of -.33 which ranks first in the NFL, a sign of their ability to shut down offenses and limit scoring chances.

In Week 1, Pittsburgh faced Kirk Cousins, who was still shaking off the effects of an Achilles injury, and they capitalized on his off game for a road win, holding the Falcons to 10 points with a 2nd half shutout. Since Week 1, Cousins has looked more like “Kirko Cains” again, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles and taking the Kansas City Chiefs down to the wire. Week 2 the Steelers travel to Denver, where they squared off against rookie quarterback Bo Nix in just his second NFL start, holding the Broncos to 6 points. Following the Steelers game, the Denver Broncos defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, putting up 27 points in Tampa Bay.  Week 3 was their biggest challenge so far, hosting the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense and one of the NFL’s most talented young quarterbacks. But the Steelers rose to the occasion, stifling the run game and keeping the opponent out of rhythm. The Steelers relentless pressure got to Herbert, causing him to exit the game in the third quarter and held the Chargers to 10 points with a 2nd half shutout.

Through the first three weeks, the Steelers’ defense has been the driving force, this isn’t a new trend either. Going back to last season, over the past 20 regular season games, they’ve given up just 6.65 points on average in the second half of games, a true testament to their ability to adjust and close out games. So far this season they have allowed only 6 points total in the second half of games.

I can’t wait to watch this defense keep growing and dominating. They have the perfect blend of “old” and “young”, and it shows in every game. As they face tougher challenges, it’ll be exciting to see how they step up and prove they’re one of if not THE best in the league.

Continue to check out The Steel Curtain Network for Steelers news and updates.

Stay Blessed and Stay Positive… “Here We Go”