In any other season, it would be easy to point to the number of opposing plays and the defense’s failure to get off the field as culprits for a poor start.

It would be easy to blame the opponent running nearly 20 plays more per game in the past four games as a reason for a losing record.

And, yet, despite the way teams have been controlling the ball against the Steelers defense, they are 4-2 and leading the AFC North by two games.

If it seems confounding to explain, you’re not alone. It can be to Tomlin, as well.

“It’s a lot of layers to that discussion,” he said.

The Steelers have run the second-fewest plays in the league (327), behind only the struggling Baltimore Ravens (325). Their average of 54.5 plays is nearly seven below the league average.

Conversely, the defense has allowed

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