TJ Watt, Cam Heyward and dominant defense: Steelers outplay booming Colts in Week 9

• A group effort on defense helped the Steelers hand the Colts their second loss: From the usual suspects to some lesser-known players, Pittsburgh put on a show with six forced turnovers against Indianapolis.

• Indianapolis’ offensive line was not up to its level: The group gave up a season-high four sacks, as well as six other pressures and 10 pass protection losses that did not lead to pressures.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers used deadly defense to stop the high-flying Colts in Week 9: Dive into the PFF Match Summary for advanced stats, quick counts, early player grades and more!

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It has become tradition for the Pittsburgh Steelers to work their way to a winning record year after year. The team hasn’t dropped below .500 in a season in over two decades, and head coach Mike Tomlin has built his reputation on keeping that streak alive.

But since quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, winning records have become much, much harder to manage. The Steelers defense has had its work cut out for it. Week 9 against the Colts was yet another example.

Pittsburgh moved to 5-3 with an upset win over the now 7-2 Colts, a 27-20 victory loaded with big defensive plays and fueled by six forced turnovers.

At the heart of it all were the usual suspects: TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward, as well as a bevy of other defensive playmakers.

The Steelers turned the Colts’ top-ranked offensive line into a mediocre unit. Indianapolis’ front was charged with four sacks on the season after the film’s initial review, as well as six other quarterback pressures and ten losses where no pressures occurred. Before Week 9, the unit had not been blamed for more than one sack in any game this season.

Watt, Highsmith and Keeanu Benton each participated in the sack, while Heyward made his presence felt with two batted passes. Highsmith, Watt and Heyward all posted PFF grades above 75.0 after initial reviews.

Pittsburgh chased Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles. It was a sharp turn of events after Indianapolis fielded by far the league’s most efficient offense in eight weeks of action:

Chart courtesy of Timo Riske’s season-long statistical review

Those giveaways led to 24 of the Steelers’ 27 points — and they were all needed as the Colts tried to mount a late comeback.

In addition to Pittsburgh’s constant pressure, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. for three pass breakups on a game-high 10 goals in his coverage. He also recorded an interception that helped the Colts get back into the game late in the fourth quarter. His PFF coverage grade of 76.7 after the film’s initial review was a success for all defensive players in the game.

With the win, the Steelers maintain a two-game lead over the surging Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North and look dangerous enough to break into the postseason again.