PITTSBURGH —The Pittsburgh Steelers did not fix all of the problems that cropped up with their defense during their recent two-game losing streak, but one major change was more than enough to tip the scales in a 27-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
After not getting a turnover in three consecutive games, including back-to-back losses to the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers over the last two weeks, the Steelers exploded with six takeaways against the Colts on Sunday.
It got started on special teams, when Brandon Echols recovered a muffed punt in the first quarter, and then the Pittsburgh defense got going. The Steelers offense couldn't do anything with that gift, getting stopped on fourth and goal — but the Pittsburgh defense then came alive.
After the pass rush was quieted over the last two weeks by offensive game plans that got rid of the ball extremely quickly, the Steelers' pass rush made Daniel Jones and the Colts pay for being cavalier with the football.
T.J. Watt came around the edge to strip Jones, recovering that himself in the second quarter. That turnover set up a Jaylen Warren touchdown run.
On the very next Indianapolis possession, Payton Wilson intercepted Jones and retuned into the Colts' 14, with Aaron Rodgers hitting Pat Freiermuth for a 12-yard score to give Pittsburgh the lead, erasing an early Indy touchdown.
The Steelers added a Chris Boswell field goal to take a 17-7 lead into the half. They also had a two-score lead the previous week, but it melted down in the second half against the Packers.
This time, they just kept getting takeaways. Early in the fourth quarter, Wilson leaped to bat a Jones pass and it landed right in the arms of rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer.
That pick set up Warren's second rushing touchdown on a day where his production was the inverse of its usual look. He entered without a rushing touchdown this season despite carrying the Steelers' offense for most of the season. On Sunday, he had 16 carries for 31 yards, but found pay dirt twice.
The Colts pushed back with a field goal, cutting the Pittsburgh margin to two scores, but the Steelers defense had one more takeaway in them, with Alex Highsmith flying in off the edge to strip Jones. Rookie Derrick Harmon recovered the fumble.
That set up another Boswell field goal. Of the team's 27 points, 24 points came off turnovers.
Jones got a late touchdown to Josh Downs to again cut the score to two possessions. Conner Heyward recovered an onside kick, and the game look to be largely over. But then Roman Wilson fumbled, once again giving the Colts life.
The Steelers defense took it right back, with Joey Porter Jr. intercepting Jones for the Steelers' game-sealing sixth takeaway.
Pittsburgh finished the game being outgunned, 368-226, and out-possessed, 31:55-28:05, but the turnovers were the major factor in the victory.
Rodgers finished 25 of 35 for 203 yards and one touchdown and a 95.3 passer rating. His receivers didn't help him out early, with drops from Jonnu Smith
, Darnell Washington
and DK Metcalf
looming large in the first quarter, but with the defense giving them chance after chance, the offense finally got moving.
Calvin Austin III
finished as the team's leading receiver with five caches for 56 yards. Washington had four grabs for 43 yards.
Payton Wilson might've had his best game as a pro, finishing with 12 tackles the interception and two pass breakups, one of which caused a second interception. Porter finished with seven tackles, four passes defended, the pick, and his first career sack.
The Steelers, now 5-3, will remain in first place in the AFC North. They will visit the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Six Takeaways Power Steelers to Upset Win over Colts, 27-20
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