1.Putting on pressure
Dating back decades, the blitz has been part of the very fabric of identity of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defenses. As recently as 2018 and last season, the Steelers ranked third and fourth in the NFL in percentage of snaps in which their defense sent more than four pass-rushers.
But even by “Blitzburgh” standards, the Steelers are bringing the heat through two weeks of this season. After the Steelers blitzed 36.1% of the time in 2018 and 38.5% of the time in 2019, so far in 2020 they are sending a blitz on a whopping 57.8% of snaps, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That rate is almost literally off the charts compared to the rest of the NFL.
It’s paying off, too. The Steelers lead the league by a wide margin in pressure rate (45.6%) — No. 2 Buffalo barely eclipses 30%. But the Steelers’ success in getting to opposing quarterbacks extends beyond blitzes. Their pressure rate when not blitzing, according to Next Gen Stats, leads the NFL at 36.8%. Their pressure rate when blitzing (51.9%) rates second-best.
Eight different Steelers defensive players have been credited with sacks this season
There is only one other team in the NFL that has as many as eight actual sacks (from anyone at all)
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 24, 2020
2. Winning 1-on-1s
Of course, applying pressure is one part scheme, one part individual execution. And while the Steelers are dialing up the pressure, those whose job it is to apply it have been succeeding at it.
ESPN this season introduced a “win-rate” weekly update for individual defenders and blockers. It translates how often a defender beats his man within 2.5 seconds. When it comes to “Pass Rush Win Rate” among edge rushers, T.J. Watt leads the NFL (43%).
The Steelers also have two of the top five in PRWR among interior defensive linemen. Fifth in the league is Cameron Heyward (24%), but the surprise is at No. 2. Eleven-year veteran Tyson Alualu has a 29% PRWR.
Incidentally, Alualu is No. 1 among defensive tackles at Run Stop Win Rate (57%). It’s a testament to the Steelers’ decision to allow Javon Hargrave to leave via free agency and let Alualu fill Hargrave’s former role.
The #Steelers defense features three players currently ranked among the top 5 in QB pressures (entering MNF):
(T-2nd) Bud Dupree – 11 pressures
(T-5th) T.J. Watt – 9
(T-5th) Cameron Hayward – 9Stephon Tuitt (8) & Tyson Alualu (6) rank just outside the top 10.#HereWeGo
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 21, 2020
3. Cautious Ben
All those blitzes signify the Steelers defense throwing caution to the wind. But the offense’s passing game has been largely just the opposite.
Next Gen Stats paints the picture of a highly risk-averse Ben Roethlisberger. Among 34 qualifying quarterbacks through two weeks this season, Roethlisberger ranks among the top (bottom?) six in three categories that suggest a careful, vigilant approach: time from snap to throw, average intended air yards and “aggressiveness percentage.”
That latter metric, per the league, tracks the amount of passing attempts a quarterback makes in which a defender is within 1 yard or less of the receiver at the time of completion or incompletion. In other words, it tells us how often a quarterback is throwing into tight coverage. Roethlisberger is doing so 8.2% of the time, more frequently than only Jared Goff and Russell Wilson.
Roethlisberger is fourth-fastest in the league in average time from snap to release of throws (2.4 seconds). And it should come as no surprise that if he is getting rid of the ball quickly, his receivers are not all that far downfield. Big Ben has the sixth-fewest average intended air yards (6.6) in the NFL. “Air yards” measures to where a receiver is at the time of catch (or incompletion) in relation to the line of scrimmage.
ESPN NFL tweet of JuJu play
4. JuJu not going long-long
Those analytics related to Roethlisberger are best exemplified among his pass-catchers by JuJu Smith-Schuster, who so far this season, has been almost purely a prototypical “possession receiver.”
Out of 105 qualifying receivers, Smith-Schuster ranks 101st in targeted air yards at 4.5. TAY is a Next Gen Stat that, from a pass-catcher’s perspective, is akin to intended air yards for a passer. In that way, Smith-Schuster has taken over the Ryan Switzer role (Switzer had the fewest TAY in the NFL during his last full season, 2018).
Six of Smith-Schuster’s 11 catches this season are 5 yards or fewer downfield.
Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.
Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at cadamski@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Sports | Steelers/NFL
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