The Steelers have won their first three games with a defense that has allowed just 26 total points and 229 yards per game, both by far the best in the NFL.
But they've also done it by getting off the field quickly. The Steelers' 21.9 percent conversion rate allowed on third downs also leads the NFL by a wide margin.
And a big part of that has been the team's ability to keep opposing running games in check. Despite already having faced Atlanta's Bijan Robinson and J.K. Dobbins of the Chargers, the Steelers are allowing just 71.3 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per rushing attempt.
Last week, in a 20-10 win over the Chargers, the Steelers limited a Los Angeles offense that had averaged 197.5 yards rushing in its first two games, to just 61 yards.
That run defense will be put to a stiff test again Sunday when the Steelers (3-0) travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts (1-2) at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts ran for 170 yards in a 30-13 win over the Steelers last season, with Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson doing the bulk of the work in the running game.
Indianapolis boasts another of the league's top running backs in Jonathan Taylor, missed the game against the Steelers a year ago and enters Sunday's game with 261 yards in the first three games and an impressive 5.1 yards per carry average.
"Taylor's really patient, does a really good job, got good contact balance," Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Thursday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "And the thing that really separates him from a lot of backs. Once he sees a crease, he can take that thing the whole way. He has unbelievable acceleration. And you see it on tape when he hits a crease, all of a sudden he's in the clear."
The Steelers have done an excellent job of keeping opposing running backs from finding those creases and hitting them thus far. According to Pro Football Focus, the Steelers have missed just 16 tackles as a team in their first three games. Only the 49ers, who have been credited with just 14 missed tackles, have been better.
"We've got to do a really good job of minimizing holes, not giving them things that are downhill, understanding that sometimes guys that are really fast aren't very patient runners, but he's a patient runner and that's dangerous," Austin said of Taylor.
Taylor, however, is not the lone threat.
Indianapolis' 245-pound quarterback Anthony Richardson has 117 rushing yards on just 18 carries this season. Some of that has come on scrambles, but the Colts also design runs for the second-year quarterback.
"He is a big man who's agile and he's strong," Austin said. "You'll see him on some design quarterback runs, guys will have angle on him and he'll beat him out to the sideline. But he is unique in that way. He's just an avatar of an athlete. And then when you talking about him running, he has the ability to even as he's moving, maybe a little bit off balance, to uncork the ball. And so that is always dangerous. So the thing that we are obviously preaching with our guys is to make sure that don't relax at any time versus this guy, because he has enough ability to avoid rushes, create some space, and then also get the ball down the field."
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
Richardson is only completing 49.3 of his passes, an NFL-low, but Colts pass catchers are averaging 16.2 yards per reception because of his ability to throw the ball downfield.
That will put added emphasis on the linebackers and corners to make plays in the running game since the Steelers will need to keep safety Minkah Fitzpatrick deep on the back end to guard against big throws.
"I think our guys are doing a really good job of really taking control of the front up front, and getting off blocks," Austin said. "I think our backers are doing a good job in terms of coming downhill and helping our guys get the double teams off our guys. And I think one of the big areas that kind of gets overlooked is our corners are doing a really good job right now tackling. I think early last year, we gave up some big plays when balls bounced outside and we didn't get it corralled and get it on the ground. All three levels are doing a really good job."
Inside linebackers Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts and Payton Wilson have done a good job in the middle, as well. Queen has played every defensive snap for the Steelers this season and is coming off an 8-tackle game in a win over the Chargers last week.
"I know we've been kind of shuffling through that and trying to get that for a few years here, but it really is a good feeling, because you know what you're going to get down in and down out," Austin said. "There's a real nice steady stream of communication that goes on between he and the rest of the defense. And so I think really, when you look at all those factors. I mean, it's really a positive thing to have that guy that's able to play every down."
