Steelers ‘unleash’ dominant defense on Jaguars and their rookie QB

Poor Jake Luton was hit seven times, sacked twice and pressured or hurried on countless other occasions by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The rookie sixth-round pick tossed four interceptions and completed fewer than half his passes during another Jacksonville Jaguars loss.

For the second consecutive week, the Steelers’ splash-play defense feasted on an opposing first-year quarterback. But were the Steelers purposefully more aggressive against a seemingly overmatched rookie QB?

“No,” coach Mike Tomlin said after the 27-3 win moved the Steelers to 10-0. “We just have an unleash mentality regardless of who we play.”

Certainly, increasingly so in recent weeks, the Steelers defense has had the look of being in attack mode. Over the past two games, the 26 combined possessions the Cincinnati Bengals and Jaguars have had against the Steelers netted more punts (15) than points (13). And for an offense, punting is preferable to Luton’s four interceptions Sunday.

“The defense is just playing big, man,” Steelers running back James Conner said. “They’ve got so much going for them.”

Already the NFL leader in sacks (two Sunday gives them 38 on the season) and takeaways (21 after Sunday), the Steelers now lead the league in the most important defensive category.

Opponents are averaging 17.4 points against them. Unless the Los Angeles Rams hold the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to six or fewer points in the Monday night game, the Steelers will have the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense heading into Week 12.

“The guys are playing hard and playing fast and collectively well,” Tomlin said. “That creates the frenzy that provides the wave that we ride.”

On the first drive after the opening kickoff of Sunday’s game, Luton engineered a nine-play, 52-yard drive that featured three first downs and ended with three points.

After that, though, it was as if the Steelers had had enough. Among its final 11 possessions of the game, Jacksonville managed more than one first down on a drive just twice; it netted 20 or more yards on a possession just once.

“As a defense, we’ve just got to come out and play our game from the first play to the last play,” safety Terrell Edmunds said, lamenting the one scoring drive the Steelers submitted.

The past six games have been the defense’s best. Beginning with a 38-7 win against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 18, the Steelers have allowed averages of 14.5 points and 310.5 yards per game.

Opposing passers have seven touchdowns, a 51.5% completion percentage and 60.3 rating in that time. Opponents have converted just 31.3% of 83 third-down opportunities and been sacked 18 times (three per game). The Steelers have forced 10 fumbles (recovering five) and had nine interceptions in those six games.

“The turnover differential and the way they get after quarterbacks,” Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, “it’s just so much fun to watch them play.”

Still, Steelers defenders who spoke after Sunday’s win seemed far from satisfied.

With playoff-caliber teams such as Baltimore, Buffalo and Indianapolis looming on the schedule, the Steelers aren’t content with performances these past two weeks against teams with rookie quarterbacks that are a combined 3-16-1.

“No, there’s definitely still more to work on,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said.

“(The Bengals and Jaguars) are two teams that we should’ve beat like that. We’re a very talented team, and we should’ve won those games like that.”

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