The Pittsburgh Steelers currently lead the Cincinnati Bengals, 17-6, at half time of the regular season opener. The Bengals have a ton of options on the offensive side of the ball and are coming off of a trip to the Super Bowl a year ago. While it is extremely hard for any defense to limit an aggressive and talented offense with firepower, the Steelers confirmed during the first half on Sunday that they will be the heart and soul of the team for the next 18 weeks. The play from Teryl Austin's group was superb as the 2022 kicked off in Cincinnati for the organization.
Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward prior to a 2022 preseason game | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
The first half wasn't just one guy. but multiple contributing making it as hard as possible for Joe Burrow and co. to get anything going. It started on the very first drive when Cameron Heyward bulldozed his way through the offensive line and sacked Burrow. The defense followed that up when Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass and took it to the house for a pick-6.
It didn't stop there. The next drive, Alex Highsmith sacked Burrow on third down halting a solid drive by the Bengals. Evan McPherson ended up hitting a 59-yard field goal to get Cincinnati on the board.
The defense clearly has a goal of being on the field as little as possible. The next offensive possession for the Bengals ended after just three plays. Highsmith quickly got into the backfield and stripped Burrow and the ball ended up landing in the hands of Heyward. It seemed like it couldn't get any better, but then reigning Defensive Player of the Year, T.J. Watt wanted to get involved with the crew on the next possession.
The DPOY doing DPOY things. @_TJWatt interception! #HereWeGo
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Watt made an incredible play and it led to Burrow throwing two interceptions in the first half for the first time in his NFL career. That wouldn't be the final giveaway from Burrow in the first 30 minutes, though.
The dominance continued when Cameron Sutton joined the party with an incredible interception as the Bengals were driving into the Steelers' territory. Burrow looked downfield to Tyler Boyd, but Sutton jumped in front of him making a terrific play.
Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton on the field prior to a preseason game in 2022 | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter JSKO_PHOTO)
The defense ended the first half with a rather disappointing result, given the previous possessions, as the Bengals had a 31-yard run on fourth and one from the Steelers' 35-yard line. The group made a terrific stop, however, when newcomer, Levi Wallace, made a great play forcing Ja'Marr Chase out of bounds in the end zone on third down. Everyone made an impact.
Everyone knew heading into the year that the Steelers defense would be the most important part of the team and the unit displayed that and has met expectations thus far against the Bengals. Media members may not have expected Pittsburgh to be in contention this year and with what the offense showed in the first half, that is understandable. But, if the defensive side of the ball can continue to mirror what the have done so far on Sunday, it's going to be a scary unit to compete against.
There are playmakers all over the field and the biggest takeaway within the first 30 minutes has been the contributions from multiple guys. Watt and Heyward did not have to be relied on each play. Everyone was involved and even Devin Bush didn't play poorly. This could be a very fun season if it continues.
What are your thoughts on the defensive performance thus far against the Bengals? Let us know in the comments below!
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