The Steelers have the NFL's top-ranked defense, but what's missing from making it truly special?

The Steelers enter Week 4 with the top-ranked defense in the NFL. They're not just No. 1 — they're No. 1 with a bullet.

Pittsburgh is giving up 8.7 points per game and has allowed 10 points or fewer in the first three games of the season. That's the first time the Steelers have held three consecutive opponents to 10 points or fewer since 2011 — when they gave up 19 total points in a three-game stretch against the Chiefs, Bengals and Browns.

That also happens to be the last time the Steelers finished the season with the NFL's top-ranked defense.

There are miles and miles to go in the 2024 season, but this Steelers defense just might have what it takes to stake a claim once again as the top defense in the NFL.

Through Week 3, they are also ceding just 229 yards per game. The Seahawks (249 ypg) have the league's second-ranked defense, and there is a wide gap between them and the Steelers.

So how good can this unit be?

"We'll see," team captain Cam Heyward said.

Heyward has been a part of some excellent defenses since arriving as a first-round pick in 2011. He was a rookie on the '11 team that completed the season allowing 14.2 points and 272 yards per game.

—The 2017 team was fifth in total defense and seventh in scoring

—The 2019 team was fifth in total defense and sixth in scoring

—The 2020 team was third in total defense and scoring.

The '24 version could join that group, but Heyward doesn't want to hear about any of it — at least not now.

"Who cares?" Heyward said. "It's Week 4. I'll be happier when it's down the road."

The Steelers are doing a lot of things right, though. They have the No. 2-ranked run defense that just shut down the Chargers' top-ranked rushing offense. They're giving up just 71.3 yards per game on the ground, which has given the defense a chance to win on third downs. Opposing teams are converting at just a 22% clip on third downs, which also ranks first in the league.

The only thing that has been missing has been a plethora of turnovers. The Steelers have forced five in the first three games of the season, but some of those other great defenses over the past 15 years created more.

The 2019 defense led the league with 38 takeaways. The 2020 defense was second with 27.

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said the turnover factor is the only thing keeping the Steelers from being a superior defense.

"I love our defense," Austin said. "I love our guys. We're playing really good, sound football. We can be better. If we do start to get some of these turnovers and give our offense the short fields, those are always good things that help your team. We have some room for improvement, but I won't be concerned if we don't get a lot of takeaways because I feel really good in our ability to stop opponents. But we do want those takeaways. To me, those are things that help you win games.

"When you win the turnover battle, you win a lot of games. That's been a guiding thing for us. We feel like we can win a lot of games if we create turnovers. Sometimes they come, and sometimes they don't. I think they'll start coming. That's an emphasis of ours. That's something we want to do. When you combine a team that takes the ball away with a really strong, solid defense then you have a chance to really dominate."

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