The Pittsburgh Steelers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 27-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers' defense dominated, forcing six turnovers and recording five sacks on quarterback Daniel Jones. Offensively, Pittsburgh scored 24 points off those turnovers despite managing just 225 total yards.
The Steelers entered Week 9 as underdogs against the NFL's top offense, but their defense delivered a vintage performance. Pittsburgh forced six turnovers, including three interceptions and three fumbles, while holding Colts running back Jonathan Taylor to 45 rushing yards. T.J. Watt contributed a strip-sack, his 113th career sack, reclaiming the active lead from Myles Garrett. Alex Highsmith added two sacks and a forced fumble, earning high praise for silencing critics with a 90.6 PFF grade.
Payton Wilson had a breakout game with 14 tackles, two passes defensed, and an interception that set up Pittsburgh's first lead in the second quarter. The linebacker read Jones' eyes and undercut a route, showcasing growth after a slow start to the season. New additions Kyle Dugger and Jalen Ramsey started at safety, with Dugger playing 77 of 78 snaps and earning a game ball from coach Mike Tomlin despite one missed tackle.
Offensively, Aaron Rodgers managed the game efficiently, completing passes to tight end Darnell Washington, who caught four for 43 yards on six targets—his second-leading receiving output. Former NFL player Chris Long noted on his podcast, "I think they found something yesterday with getting [Darnell] Washington the ball... He’s such a mismatch." However, Washington dropped a crucial fourth-down pass in the red zone early, though Rodgers trusted him with more targets later.
The Steelers improved their tackling, missing 11 compared to recent weeks, but still lost the battle 11-7. Brian Baldinger said on Move The Sticks, "You could see that this team could still be a problem... when the defense plays like that, you get as many extra at-bats as you get." Pittsburgh's win highlighted complementary football, with 24 points from turnovers proving decisive against a Colts team that outgained them in yards but faltered with mistakes.
