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

• Indianapolis’ offensive line wasn’t at its standard: The group gave up a season-high four sacks, as well as six other pressures and 10 pass-protection losses that didn’t result in pressure.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers used lethal defense to halt the high-flying Colts in Week 9: Dive into the PFF game recap for advanced stats, snap counts, early player grades and more!

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

But since quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement after the 2021 campaign, those winning records have been much, much more difficult to manage. The Steelers’ defense has needed to do some heavy lifting. 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 laden with big defensive plays and fueled by six forced turnovers.

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

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The Steelers turned the Colts’ top-ranked offensive line into a middling unit. Indianapolis’ front was charged with a season-high four sacks after the first review of the film, as well as six other quarterback pressures and 10 losses where pressure didn’t occur. Before Week 9, the unit hadn’t been at fault for more than one sack in any game this season.

Watt, Highsmith and Keeanu Benton each got in on the sack party, while Heyward made his presence felt with two batted passes. Highsmith, Watt and Heyward all posted 75.0-plus PFF pass-rushing grades after initial reviews.

Pittsburgh hounded Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who tossed three interceptions and lost two fumbles. It was a sharp turn of events after Indianapolis had fielded, by far, the league’s most efficient offense through 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 each one was needed as the Colts attempted to mount a late comeback.

In addition to Pittsburgh’s constant pressure, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. racked up three pass breakups on a game-high 10 targets into his coverage. He also notched an interception with the Colts looking to get back into the game late in the fourth quarter. His 76.7 PFF coverage grade after the initial review of the film paced all defensive players in the contest.

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