2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 10-7
Steelers defense
Every snap the Steelers defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good+0.02 EPA a play allowed, 19th of 32, and 0.02 above what the offenses they faced usually manage (21st).
- How they playThey blitz on 37% of dropbacks, the 4th-most in the league, and get pressure on 23%.
- Where offenses find roomOn the ground: 4.3 a carry, 19th, and runs outside right gain 6.7 a carry.
- Who hurt themZay Flowers (BAL): 264 yards and +17.3 EPA on 18 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | +0.02 | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.05 | 16th of 32 | 52nd | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.02 | 23rd of 32 | 30th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 43% | 13th of 32 | 61st | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 9% | 15th of 32 | 55th | |
| Yards per play | 5.5 | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Yards per carry | 4.3 | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 43% | 25th of 32 | 23rd |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 7.0% | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 23% | 17th of 32 | 48th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 16% | 11th of 32 | 67th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 2.2% | 10th of 32 | 70th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 51% | 6th of 32 | 83rd | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 2.13 | 15th of 32 | 55th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 1.6 | 4th of 32 | 89th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | +0.02 | 21st of 32 | 36th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Steelers. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 8 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 3 against the Patriots, 0.34 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average +0.00 a play elsewhere, the 20th-toughest schedule of offenses.
at NYJW 34-32+0.25usual -0.16
vs SEAL 17-31+0.07usual +0.03
at NEW 21-14-0.16usual +0.18
vs MINW 24-21+0.03usual -0.13
vs CLEW 23-9-0.19usual -0.19
at CINL 31-33+0.33usual -0.03
vs GBL 25-35+0.32usual +0.10
vs INDW 27-20-0.12usual +0.09
at LACL 10-25-0.08usual -0.02vs CINW 34-12-0.23usual +0.01
at CHIL 28-31+0.01usual +0.08
vs BUFL 7-26+0.10usual +0.14
at BALW 27-22+0.01usual +0.04
vs MIAW 28-150.00usual -0.02
at DETW 29-24+0.10usual +0.08at CLEL 6-13-0.23usual -0.19vs BALW 26-24+0.14usual +0.03Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is deep right: +1.30 EPA a throw against a league +0.34. The lockdown zone is behind the line middle, -1.45 a throw (league -0.34). Completions against them run 0.3 points under expected, 13th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.3 yards a carry against them, 19th of 32. The leak is outside right: 6.7 a carry and +0.29 EPA (league 5.2, +0.07).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 20.329th | 167.129th | +0.2821st-toughest | 22.78th-most29.07th-most35.27th-most |
| Tight ends | 8.328th | 63.728th | +0.2217th-toughest | 10.44th-most13.53rd-most16.63rd-most |
| Backs, receiving | 5.618th | 29.716th | 0.0014th-toughest | 15.05th-fewest17.36th-fewest19.68th-fewest |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 18.86th-most18.86th-most18.86th-most |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zay Flowers | BAL | 18 | 264 | 2 | +17.3 |
| Tucker Kraft | GB | 9 | 143 | 2 | +11.6 |
| Ladd McConkey | LAC | 6 | 107 | 1 | +9.4 |
| Hunter Henry | NE | 11 | 90 | 2 | +9.2 |
| Kenneth Walker III | SEA | 14 | 118 | 1 | +9.1 |
| Kalif Raymond | DET | 5 | 62 | 1 | +8.5 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-short (1 to 3): offenses convert 51% against a league 60%. They are stingiest in 2nd down (-0.06 a play, league +0.02) and weakest in 3rd down (+0.07, league -0.05).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 469 | -0.03 | +0.01 | -0.05 |
| 2nd down | 355 | -0.06 | +0.02 | -0.09 |
| 3rd down | 235 | +0.07 | -0.05 | +0.13 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 68 | 51% | 60% | −9 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 65 | 58% | 44% | +15 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 102 | 27% | 26% | +2 pts |
| Red zone | 168 | -0.02 | 0.00 | -0.02 |
| Two-minute drill | 142 | +0.01 | +0.03 | -0.02 |
| When they lead | 636 | +0.07 | -0.01 | +0.08 |
| One-score game | 755 | -0.03 | +0.02 | -0.05 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 77 | +0.07 | +0.04 | +0.03 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 37% of dropbacks and average 4.4 rushers; 69% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.10 EPA when they blitz and +0.01 when they do not.
They put 6.7 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 16%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.4 a carry; into eight or more, 3.9.
Offenses lean on the run against them: 4 points under their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains -0.17 EPA against them on 20% of throws; screens +0.04.
49 defensive penalties for 385 yards, 28 of them first downs, the 20th-fewest. They miss 11% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 27th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Nick Herbig leads the pass rush with 29 pressures and 7.5 sacks on 52% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97Cameron HeywardDE | 71% | 12 | 3.5 | 9 | 9 | 76 | 1 |
| 90T.J. WattOLB | 68% | 26 | 7 | 19 | 10 | 53 | 3 |
| 95Keeanu BentonDT | 65% | 15 | 5.5 | 12 | 6 | 51 | 1 |
| 56Alex HighsmithLB | 56% | 23 | 9.5 | 19 | 15 | 50 | 1 |
| 51Nick HerbigLB | 52% | 29 | 7.5 | 18 | 13 | 27 | 3 |
| 99Derrick HarmonDT | 38% | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
| 94Yahya BlackDE | 36% | 3 | 1 | 28 | 2 | ||
| 33Jack SawyerLB | 26% | 11 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 33 | |
| 93Esezi OtomewoDT | 15% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | |
| 96Daniel EkualeDT | 6% | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Patrick Queen plays 96% of the snaps with 119 tackles and 1 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6Patrick QueenLB | 96% | 119 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 84 | 88.8 | 17 |
| 41Payton WilsonLB | 62% | 125 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 45 | 98.6 | 10 |
| 50Malik HarrisonLB | 27% | 40 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 92.7 | 6 | |
| 55Cole HolcombLB | 16% | 37 | 14 | 92.9 | 6 | |||
| 53Jeremiah MoonLB | 1% | 2 | 1 | 122.9 | 1 | |||
| 44Carson BruenerLB | 0% | 19 |
James Pierre is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 51.2 passer rating on 35 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5Jalen RamseyCB | 95% | 79 | 56 of 79 | 642 | 7 | 104.8 | 1 | 8 |
| 24Joey Porter Jr.CB | 78% | 65 | 32 of 65 | 333 | 59.7 | 1 | 14 | |
| 29Kyle DuggerSAF | 50% | 30 | 17 of 30 | 195 | 3 | 79.3 | 2 | 5 |
| 26Brandin EcholsCB | 43% | 70 | 49 of 70 | 478 | 2 | 87.8 | 2 | 6 |
| 23Darius SlayCB | 41% | 40 | 30 of 40 | 337 | 1 | 92.8 | 3 | |
| 21Chuck ClarkSAF | 38% | 31 | 23 of 31 | 356 | 4 | 112.4 | 3 | |
| 42James PierreCB | 32% | 35 | 15 of 35 | 130 | 51.2 | 1 | 11 | |
| 4Juan ThornhillSAF | 26% | 17 | 15 of 17 | 207 | 1 | 116.4 | 1 | |
| 25DeShon ElliottSAF | 22% | 19 | 9 of 19 | 121 | 58.6 | 1 | 2 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.