Wilson Leads Steelers in Tackles in Big Win
by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published November 2, 2025, 5:29 PM
PITTSBURGH, PA – In the confines of Acrisure Stadium, while media members waited to breach the doors of the Steelers locker room, an unassuming figure quietly slipped through the nearby exit of the Pittsburgh Panthers’ locker room.
It was Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, dressed in a gray vest and white baseball cap, calmly walking away from the noise. There was no fanfare, no raised voice just the quiet satisfaction of a coach whose defense had finally delivered.
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense rediscovered its bite Sunday afternoon, sacking Daniel Jones five times and intercepting him twice in a 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts. It wasn’t just a bounce-back performance, it was a statement from a unit that had heard enough of the noise.
After two straight weeks of being questioned, Austin’s group answered in familiar fashion: pressure, turnovers, and timely stops. The Colts’ offense managed only 20 points matching the exact total they’ve scored in each of their two losses this season.
It was a day when the Steelers’ defense reclaimed its identity. Despite another below-average offensive outing something fans have grown accustomed to since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement the defense set the tone early and never relinquished control. For a coordinator who’s been in the NFL nearly two decades, the win was validation that execution, not outside noise, defines a team’s character.
Linebacker Payton Wilson played like a seasoned leader, pacing the defense with 13 tackles and a crucial interception that halted a third-quarter Colts drive. For Wilson, the victory was about faith, consistency, and belief in the man calling the plays.
“It’s awesome,” Wilson said. “First, I just want to thank Jesus Christ for giving us all this opportunity to play this game. We haven’t really been the defense that we wanted to be pretty much all year. Obviously, there was a game here or there, but we put a lot of things together today. Still a lot of room to improve, which is honestly the scary thing. But we just have to keep putting that product on the field. Like Cam [Heyward] said last week, we can’t ride this wave. We have to be consistent and execute. That’s what we did today.”
Wilson also made it clear that any outside criticism of Austin hasn’t shaken the team’s belief in their defensive coordinator.
“When you’re in here, you don’t really listen to the outside noise that much,” Wilson said. “We have 100% faith in him and his body of work. I mean, I don’t know how long T.A. has been in the NFL now longer than I’ve been alive, probably. But it’s awesome for everyone just to get this win, to play how we did. Everybody can enjoy Sunday night a little bit rather than figuring out how to fix every single thing we’ve done wrong like the last two weeks.”
That support echoed across the locker room. Linebacker Nick Herbig, who contributed to the Steelers’ five-sack effort, said the defense’s performance was a reminder that execution not outside chatter defines who they are.
“You’re always gonna hear something,” Herbig said. “There’s always gonna be people talking, but the only thing that matters is the people in this locker room. We got to play for each other, and regardless of what’s called, we got to execute that. And you see—when we execute, we play good.”
Herbig praised the effort across the board highlighting the collective energy that has long defined Pittsburgh’s defensive identity.
“There’s a ton of work to be done still,” he added. “Wasn’t our best performance, but it felt good to get a dub. Offense put some points on the board, we got some turnovers Alex (Highsmith) and Payton (Wilson), man. Jack Sawyer got his first pick, T.J. (Watt) with a strip sack that’s what we do. The culture came alive today.”
That culture rooted in resilience and trust was on full display.
After a dismal defensive outing the week before, Austin’s unit responded with ferocity. They frustrated Daniel Jones all game long, limiting the Colts’ explosive plays and capitalizing when it mattered most. Jones threw two interceptions, including Wilson’s in the third quarter that swung the game’s momentum.
For Austin and the Steelers defense, the formula hasn’t changed: pressure up front, sound tackling in the middle, and opportunistic playmaking in the secondary. Sunday showed what happens when all three levels connect.
And as the media waited for access and questions swirled about redemption, Austin didn’t linger to be asked about any of it. He simply walked of quietly satisfied with his defense having already answered for him.
The best way to quiet the noise?
By silencing the critics, one sack and one takeaway at a time.
By the Numbers: Steelers 27, Colts 20
5 – Steelers sacks on Daniel Jones
2 – Interceptions by the Steelers defense (Payton Wilson, Jack Sawyer)
13 – Tackles recorded by rookie LB Payton Wilson
2 – Turnovers forced in the second half
20 – Points allowed by the Steelers defense — matching the Colts’ total in both of their losses this season
1 – Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin quietly walking away with a satisfied smile
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com
