Eighteen months ago, I did a study that showed a correlation between teams winning the Super Bowl and defenses who record at least 25 takeaways in a season. We’ve reduced that number to 23 (like everything else, Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs are breaking the mold) but the point remains the same. The best teams are the ones who take the football away. In an era where offenses are more effective than ever, they scored a record amount of points this season, the best defensive counter is to steal the ball, steal a possession.
It’s no surprise to see the Pittsburgh Steelers have a strong correlation between takeaways and win/loss.