The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting pretty at 6-2, holding sole possession of first place in the AFC North, and it is all thanks to their defense. That unit has come alive over the last month, with new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham at the helm, proving he is one of the best new minds in the game. CBS Sports just ranked the NFL’s best new coordinators at midseason, and Graham snagged the number two spot overall.
Graham’s Defense Is Crushing It
Garrett Podell from CBS Sports put it perfectly, writing, “The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense has come back to life under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.” And Podell is not wrong. This defense is legitimately elite right now. They are the league’s No. 3 scoring defense, giving up only 18.0 points per game. Then there is the No. 6 total defense, allowing a mere 305.6 total yards per game. It gets even better. They are the No. 3 run defense, shutting opponents down to just 83.9 rushing yards per game allowed. Add in their No. 8 third down defense, a 34.3% third down conversion rate allowed, and an astounding No. 2 red zone defense at 37.5% third down conversion rate allowed. Oh, and they are tied for No. 3 in takeaways with 13. Graham, who came over from spending four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders, has brought a zone-heavy scheme that has truly done wonders for this unit.
Watt is Back, and the Sacks Are Piling Up
You cannot talk about this defense without mentioning All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt. He is absolutely turning back the clock this season. After only getting 7.0 sacks in 14 games last season, Watt already has 7.5 sacks through eight games this season, which ties him for the league lead with Houston Texans All-Pro edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. This pass rush is relentless. Graham’s unit leads the entire NFL with 26 sacks, one more than the Brian Flores blitzkrieg Minnesota Vikings. We saw that dominance on full display this past weekend against the Browns. Cleveland came into Week 8 flying high at 5-2, but they left Pittsburgh with a 27-6 defeat. The Steelers absolutely smothered them, holding the Browns to season-lows in both points, with only 6, and rushing yards, with just 34. The defense recorded eight sacks against Cleveland in that game alone. Graham is absolutely crushing it.
An Elite Defense For a Playoff Push
Graham was only behind Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon on that CBS Sports list, which tells you everything about the impact he has made. With Graham in charge and the abundance of talent on the unit, the Steelers can finally say they once again have an elite defense to help them in their playoff push. As they enter the second half of their 2026 campaign, it seems like they are destined to have their first top-10 scoring defense since the 2023 season. This defense is playing with passion and precision, and they are making a strong case for a deep run.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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