The Pittsburgh Steelers finished near the top of the NFL in a host of defensive categories in 2020. They were 1st in DVOA, 1st in sacks, 1st in quarterback pressures, 2nd in takeaways, 3rd in total yardage and 3rd in points per game. Pretty impressive stuff. By just about any metric, the Steelers fielded an elite defensive unit.
One issue dogged them down the stretch, however. While the offense rightfully shouldered much of the blame for the team’s late-season collapse that saw an 11-0 start transform into a 1-5 finish, including an ugly playoff exit at the hands of the Cleveland Browns, the defense faltered as well.