The Steelers have halted two important patterns in recent weeks in winning games without T.J. Watt and without a turnover advantage. Entering this season, they were 1-11 in games in which Watt did not play. For much of this season, they were also without a win in games in which they were not on the plus side of the turnover ledger. Their ability to overcome both patterns hints at a more resilient team, which is a good sign for the future.
That didn’t happen by accident, of course, particularly with respect to the former. The Steelers saw how much they struggled when they didn’t have T.