The Steelers were able to keep Derrick Henry under 100 rushing yards in the win over the Ravens on Dec. 7, but the Steelers did allow the Ravens 217 rushing yards.
Since then, the Steelers' run defense has been the best in the NFL statistically.
In the last three games, the Steelers have allowed an NFL-low 52 rushing yards per game, an NFL-low 2.9 yards per carry, and are the only NFL team to have not allowed a rushing touchdown.
Coach Mike Tomlin joked this week about it being about the return of Derrick Harmon because reporters have kept track of the Steelers' run defense with and without Harmon and have asked questions about it consistently. Without him, the Steelers allow 166 rushing yards allowed per game; with him, they allow only 87 rushing yards per game.
Harmon hadn't returned yet for the Dolphins game, when the Steelers allowed only 63 yards on 16 carries. The next two games, with Harmon, the Steelers allowed 15 yards on 12 carries to the Lions, and 78 yards on 25 carries to the Browns.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin explained the improvement this way:
"When you look at the bigs up front," he said, "they're playing with their hands, they're not running sideways, they're knocking people back. I always try to make a point when we watch the tape – when we see good run defense, and us playing good run defense – as we're watching the tape I can see everybody's number. I can see the backs of their number. I don't see sideways. I see him square, knocking people back. And I think that's really the big thing. That's really what's helped us. When we're playing good defense, you can see it. You can see all of our guys playing square. We're not running sideways creating creases and holes. And so that's really the big thing.
"When our bigs are playing like that, our linebackers are able to play downhill and it's a trickle effect.
"Our perimeter guys have to play well, too. We don't have good run defense if our perimeter guys are not involved. And so, I think in the last three weeks, our perimeter guys have done a good job in terms of being on the edge and tackling and not letting things get outside the defense."
Of course, Austin admits Harmon, the first-round draft pick, has helped bolster the front in a big way.
Austin's hoping T.J. Watt can add to the improving defense this week. Watt's missed the last three games, but has returned to practice and is sparking optimism that he'll play Sunday.
"It'll be great to have him back," Austin said. "What capacity? We'll find out (but) not until Sunday. But it'll be great to have him back, and I would think that he'll only strengthen our group."
On the perimeter ...
Austin credited the play on the perimeter as assisting in the recent surge of outstanding run defense. That's just another feather in the cap of cornerback Joey Porter Jr., whose play against the pass has been outstanding all season.
Porter hasn't allowed a touchdown pass this season. Or last season. He hasn't given up a touchdown pass, according to NextGenStats, in 1,444 consecutive coverage sacks, dating all the way back to Week 8 in 2023, Porter's rookie season.
Porter is also highly ranked among the NFL elite in making a play on the ball on 21.5% of his targets, and he's allowed a completion on only 53.8% of his targets.
"New stats. I like it," Austin said with a laugh. "I think he's starting to play really well, and it's good to see. As his third year goes on, he gets better and you're starting to see the maturity process.
"It starts in the classroom and then bringing it to the practice field. We've seen growth in that area and, consequently, it's spilled over into his play. It's more consistent. It's better. It's competitive. I think he's tackling well on the outside. He's solid there. He's doing some good stuff. He's in the right spots."
Porter in particular seems to play well against the Ravens. On Dec. 7, he broke up the potential go-ahead touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely that preserved a 27-22 Steelers win. Porter's first career interception preserved a 17-10 win over the Ravens in 2023. Porter matched his career-high 6 solo tackles against the Ravens in last season's playoff game.
"That might be his dad. He might've got that a long time ago." Austin said with a smile. "He loves rivalry games. He really likes when the stakes are higher as a competitor. Maybe that's why. Nothing's more high than this week for us."
Arthur Smith on going for it all
Trailing the Browns 10-3 late in the second quarter, the Steelers faced a fourth-and-1 at the Cleveland 22. The options involved a 37-yard field goal attempt, a sneak attempt without injured "pusher" Darnell Washington, or a normal offensive snap to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Steelers called timeout to discuss those options and Rodgers came back with a pass attempt to Scotty Miller in the end zone that fell incomplete.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was asked about that decision on Thursday.
"Tried to be a little more aggressive," said Smith. "Obviously it didn't work in our favor, but, yeah, that was the discussion during the timeout."
Smith was later asked if he saw progress by the receiving corps as it attempts to replace DK Metcalf, who'll also miss his second game Sunday night.
"The guys stepped up in different ways," Smith said. "We had guys get open. We didn't make the play, and that's really the story of the two games.
"You look at the first Cleveland game, we made a couple big plays. Obviously DK did win some one-on-ones, but the issue wasn't moving the ball. The issue was when we got in that fringe of scoring. We found different ways – again, I don't want to take anything from Cleveland – but that's really what happened. All it would've taken was a couple plays in that game. We didn't make them."
