The Steelers have been ravaged by injuries and kicking issues but have improved drastically in one area: defensive pressure.

With 14 sacks through four games, the Steelers are on pace for 56 sacks over a 16-game season, which would have led the league in 2014 and nearly doubled Pittsburgh's total of 33 from a year ago.

The last time Pittsburgh sniffed 50 sacks was in 2010, when it finished with 48. It has dwelled in the 30s ever since.

Stephon Tuitt and Will Allen converge on Joe Flacco for one of the Steelers' 14 sacks through four games. Jason Bridge/USA TODAY Sports

Nine Steelers have at least one sack, including ascending defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who leads the team with 3.5. Tuitt's ability to win his matchups up front has been noticeable this year. Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker from the four-man rotation (including James Harrison, Arthur Moats and rookie Bud Dupree) without a sack so far.

"It's our job to help put our offense in the best position on the field," Tuitt said. "We have to play great defense from here on out."

New defensive coordinator Keith Butler has work to do to thwart opposing running games after the Ravens rushed for 191 yards in 39 carries last week. But Butler has freed up his front seven to rattle quarterbacks. The Steelers have mixed 3-4 and 4-3 formation looks while asking defensive linemen to stand up at the line of scrimmage on occasion. Butler is rolling out creative blitzes, which sometimes backfire but breed an aggressive style that rewards players.

And players are playing hard for him. Defensive end Cam Heyward's sack-fumble on Joe Flacco early in the second half Thursday was all effort, with Heyward diving to knock the ball out of Flacco's grip.

Tuitt says chemistry is now blending with talent.

"Just simplifying the defense down to us and making us play," Tuitt said of the defensive game plans. "We all have the ability to do tremendous things on a football field, but it's all about the little things when you go against somebody. We're just going into games to play and compete."

The Steelers are an incomplete picture on defense because the secondary must prove it can hold up for the long term. But the changes to the defense are setting a firm foundation in Pittsburgh.