Steelers' Defense Not Given Stamp Of Approval From Critical Former NFL Head Coach

The Pittsburgh Steelers showed up in a big way on Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium, especially on defense, as they earned a key 27-20 win over the previously one-loss Indianapolis Colts. It was Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin's unit that truly stole the show, as it forced a whopping six turnovers versus the best offense in the league in terms of total yardage. It was a much-needed defensive performance after back-to-back weeks of significant struggles, both in the air and on the ground. However, there are some out there who aren't impressed with this performance simply because it hasn't happened consistently enough.

Former NFL head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan gave an interesting take Monday morning via Get Up on the Steelers' performance on Sunday from a defensive perspective.

"If they play like this, they're going to be able to compete for the division. That's what we've been waiting for. That's what we've expected," Ryan said. "I want to see it again."

One performance certainly does not define a season in the National Football League. Still, the entire city of Pittsburgh was hoping for its defense to come alive in a big way after a tumultuous start to the year on that side of the ball. Not only did Mike Tomlin's defense force those aforementioned six turnovers, but it also held MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor and the rest of the Colts rushing offense to a combined 55 total yards on the ground. 

Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was sacked five times and threw three interceptions. A trio of Steelers players registered multiple pass deflections, and four different players registered at least one sack. Led by safety Joey Porter Jr. and linebacker Payton Wilson, the defense truly showed what it is capable of accomplishing at its best. When you combine that with a quality offense, good results are bound to come your way over time.

Steelers Offense Does Enough To Help Secure A Win Against Colts

While it wasn't the most explosive day for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and co., the Steelers' offense was able to cash in when it needed to. For the third consecutive week, Rodgers' offense scored at least 27 points. While it might be cause for concern that the Steelers were only able to win the game by seven points despite winning the turnover battle by five, the result in the end is all that matters. 

Once again, Rodgers completed over 70% of his passes and threw his 17th touchdown pass of the season. He found nine different pass-catchers, which continued the long-time quarterback's trend of looking to get everyone involved on offense. Despite rushing for just 38 yards, this offense was able to score points on a short field and make life tough for Indianapolis. Pittsburgh now has a league-leading 63 points off turnovers.

This is exactly what the fans of the Steel City were hoping for on Sunday afternoon. With the Steelers' 2005 Super Bowl-winning team in attendance, this current Steelers team showed out. Complementary football showed out. That is going to be key the rest of the way, as it was on Sunday. Forcing turnovers and scoring points off turnovers will likely be the difference in the season for Tomlin and co. 

While this Rodgers-led offense has shown its ability to put up points in bunches, it likely is not sustainable if the defense does not do its part. In a potential playoff preview in front of the home crowd, the Steelers proved that they can beat anyone when they are at their best. Now, at an overall record of 5-3, the bleeding has stopped, and the Steelers have a two-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.

#SteelerNation