The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been getting plenty of media coverage leading into the 2016 NFL season, but the defense hasn’t been talked about much. With the additions of rookies Artie Burns Sean Davis and Javon Hargrave, the defense was the main point of emphasis in the off-season. While Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown may have stolen the show on Monday night, the Steelers defense got the job done.
Steelers Defense Got the Job Done
Rushing only three or four players for the majority of their first game against the Washington Redskins, the Steelers defense relied on playing a lot of zone coverage and forcing Kirk Cousins to make big throws. Cousins may have finished with 329 yards passing, but he threw two interceptions and failed to throw a touchdown pass. The Redskins didn’t try to run the ball much, only gaining 55 yards on 12 carries.
James Harrison made a game-clinching interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. Ryan Shazier made his presence felt all game long. Shazier finished with six tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. Although Shazier left the game with an injury in the fourth quarter, it doesn’t appear to be too severe and the Steelers hope he won’t miss an extended period of time.
While the Steelers defense didn’t generate any sacks, Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt generated pressure on Cousins all night. By being able to only rush two, three or four players, the Steelers defense was able to sit back in coverage. The best way for the Steelers defense to correct their biggest weakness from last season is to put more people back there to defend the pass. Having Heyward and Tuitt generate pressure allows the linebackers and extra defensive backs to double-team receivers and force throws into coverage. This led to Cousins’ two interceptions.
Perhaps the biggest key for the Steelers defense was the fact that they held their ground whenever the offense turned the ball over. Roethlisberger threw an interception in the first quarter after the Redskins had just taken an early lead with a field goal. The Steelers defense responded though and held the Redskins to another field goal. From that point, the Steelers offense scored 24 unanswered points and the defense didn’t allow a touchdown until late in the game when the outcome had already been decided.
Looking ahead to next week, the Steelers face the Cincinnati Bengals, who are coming off of a close one-point victory over the New York Jets. A.J. Green led the way for the Bengals with 12 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown. Green will likely be matched up against William Gay on Sunday, with Ross Cockrell likely also being lined up across from Green for some snaps.
If Green is matched up with Cockrell often, it could be big trouble for the Steelers defense. Look for defensive coordinator Keith Butler to use a lot of zone coverage again. Butler may even want to double-team Green with Burns or Davis in order to try to slow him down. While the Steelers defense has historically been known for its pass-rushers, Butler seems to be perfectly content with only rushing three the majority of the time in order to focus more on covering wide receivers.
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