Pitt Football: Where's the Love for the Panthers Defense?

Since Big East play started and the Pitt season got turned around, much attention has been paid to how well the offense has performed.

Myself and others have given much-deserved praise to quarterback Tino Sunseri, running back Dion Lewis, wide receiver Jon Baldwin and the offensive line.

Don't get me wrong—all 11 guys on the offensive side of the ball have played very well the past three weeks. As good as they have played, though, Pitt wouldn't be 3-0 in the Big East without the play of the defense.

The same defense that couldn't handle the Utah spread in Week 1—the same defense that was run out of its own stadium in prime time against Miami.

No, this isn't that same defense. It's a much better one.

After Pitt led the nation in sacks a season ago and returned most of the players from that defense, including defensive ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard, most people expected a dominating performance from the Panthers defense this season.

It hasn't worked out that way. They struggled early, and a couple key injuries to Romeus and middle linebacker Dan Mason haven't helped matters out.

However, in the last three games (all Panthers wins), the defense has stepped things up. 

Looking at the numbers, the Panthers have outscored their three Big East opponents by a combined 106-38 score. The 38 points that Pitt has allowed translates into a 12.6 per game average. If that keeps up, Pitt will win many more games the rest of the way.

It's not only that teams aren't getting into the end zone against the Panthers; they aren't moving the ball well either. They've allowed only 666 yards of total offense the past three weeks, including holding Rutgers to only 203 yards and Louisville to a paltry 185.

The breakdowns are very nice as well, as the Panthers are allowing only 91.6 yards on the ground and 186.3 in the air so far in Big East play.

They've made impact plays as well. The Panthers have forced eight turnovers (four interceptions and four fumble recoveries) the last three weeks.

What's the cause for the dramatic turnaround? There are two glowing differences between the first five games and the past three weeks.

One is that the Panthers are getting off the field on third down. Teams have converted only 38 percent (14-of-37) of the time in Big East play, which is a huge improvement. If the Panthers continue to get stops on third down, teams won't be able to sustain drives against them.

The other thing that sticks out is that the pressure has returned. Even without Romeus, the Panthers have racked up 11 sacks the past three weeks, including 10 in the past two games. The number of quarterback pressures is almost double that.

The Panthers defense will get even better, as Romeus is expected to return soon after having back surgery. Brandon Lindsay has done a very good job in his place, but adding the returning Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year back to the lineup can only make the Panthers defense that much better.

The old saying goes, "Defense wins championships." The Panthers are out to prove that in the Big East.