Joe Sargent/Getty Images T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after a sack against the Houston Texans on September 27, 2020.
On Sunday afternoon the Pittsburgh Steelers set a new franchise record for most consecutive seasons with 50 or more sacks (four). With five sacks against the Indianapolis Colts, the Steelers now have a league-leading 52 sacks—and are in position to potentially break the single-season franchise record of 56 sacks, which was set in 2017.
On Sunday, Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt had two sacks, giving him a league-leading 15 on the season. Meanwhile, defensive linemen Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward had one each, while inside linebacker Avery Williamson had his first sack in a Steelers uniform.
Steelers Will Attempt to Tie NFL Record in 2021
The Steelers are the first team since the 1985-88 New York Giants to get 50 or more sacks in four consecutive seasons. Next year the Steelers will attempt to tie the NFL record for most consecutive years with 50+ sacks (five), which is held by three teams—the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Washington Football Team. All three of those teams set the mark between 1983-87.
Against the Colts on Sunday the Steelers also extended another sack streak, having now recorded at least one sack in 72 straight games. The Steelers set a new NFL record two weeks ago against the Buffalo Bills, breaking the old mark of 69 games, which was held by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1999-2003).
Baltimore Ravens Fined $250,000
In other news from Sunday, the NFL fined the Baltimore Ravens $250,000 for the organization’s COVID-19 violations, a surprisingly modest punishment considering the extent of the Ravens’ COVID outbreak earlier this season and how disruptive it was in terms of the NFL schedule. It falls short of the $350,000 that the Tennessee Titans were fined earlier this year, another team whose COVID-19 outbreak affected Pittsburgh’s game schedule.
It also fell short of the punishment assessed to repeat offenders, namely the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints, who were each fined $500,000 and lost sixth- and seventh-round draft picks, respectively, after multiple protocol violations.
The Steelers were originally scheduled to play the Titans on October 4th but that game was rescheduled to October 25th because of Tennessee’s outbreak. The Ravens-Steelers game at Heinz Field was originally scheduled to be played in primetime on Thanksgiving Night, but because of Baltimore’s COVID-19 issues it was rescheduled three times before being played on the afternoon of Wednesday December 2nd, the strange time slot dictated by the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
The Largest Second-Half Comeback in the Mike Tomlin Era
By defeating the Indianapolis Colts 28-24 on Sunday the Steelers won the AFC North and moved up to the No. 2 seed in the AFC, at least temporarily. It’s Pittsburgh’s first AFC North title since 2017.
By overcoming a 24-7 second-half deficit, Pittsburgh achieved its greatest second-half comeback of the Mike Tomlin era.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns were defeated by the New York Jets 23-16 to fall to 10-5. The Browns are currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoffs.
By virtue of beating the New York Giants 27-13 on Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens are currently the No. 6 seed in the playoffs.
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• Former Steelers Exec Recalls 2004 NFL Draft
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Steelers Set New Franchise Sack Record