PITTSBURGH, PA – DECEMBER 02: Vince Williams #98 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates with teammates after his fumble recovery for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on December 1, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense might be joining elite status after the latest Alex Smith takedown.
The one thing is certain when talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers; defense is key. Known as the “Steel Curtain” for decades by fans of the black and yellow, the 2020 unit is living up to its name with consistent pressure and turnovers on the year.
However, Monday’s game against Washington put them in a category of their own.
Thanks to Robert Spillane’s sack up the middle on Washington’s Alex Smith, the Steelers now have recorded at least one sack per game over the past 69 games. The last team to conquer that feat?
Try the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1999-2003.
For those who perhaps don’t know, the Buccaneers won a title thanks to their defensive showing back in 2003 over the then-Oakland Raiders. Could this be a sign for Mike Tomlin’s squad?
Pittsburgh’s defense has been the x-factor all season
Whether or not the offense continues to stall, the Steelers’ defense is one of the league’s best. They rank in the top 10 of every category and have vastly improved in the secondary thanks to the development of Minkah Fitzpatrick and TJ Watt.
However, the focus should be on the pass rush, which entering Monday night led the NFL in sacks with 41. Earlier last week, Pittsburgh announced that star pass rusher Bud Dupree would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL suffered against the Baltimore Ravens.
This is now the second key player the defense has lost this season due to a torn ACL. So far, they haven’t missed a beat with Spillane and former New York Jets Avery Williamson filling in for former top-10 pick Devin Bush at middle linebacker. On the outside, Tomlin has high hopes rookie Alex Highsmith can pick up the production and become another wrecking machine for the ferocious unit.
While the Steelers are 11-0 it’s mostly due to their defense. As the history books now will tell you, it’s a pretty fine unit that could be on their way to adding more than their name to a trophy list.