The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is playing at a level that we haven’t seen from them in years. Not only do they lead the league in takeaways with 30 in 12 games, they are on pace to once again break their own franchise record for sacks, which they just broke two years ago. Especially since the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick, they have, overall, put up some of the best numbers league-wide.
Have they surprised themselves by their own success? “Not really”, said T.J. Watt, who may be more singularly responsible for the turnaround the group has taken in 2019 than any other one player, and is perhaps one of the leading candidates to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award, last won by a Steelers in 2010 by Troy Polamalu.