TJ Watt Detailed How The Steelers Defense Took Full Advantage Of A Very Stupid Move By The New York Giants

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a ferocious pass rush for decades dating back to the original Steel Curtain. Initially, the best pass rushers were on the defensive line led by LC Greenwood and Joe Greene. When the players up front began to retire, the Steelers transitioned into an eventual 3-4 zone blitz scheme that popularized the phrase Blitzburgh.

The Steelers’ outside linebackers became the defense's dominant pass rushers. Bookend tandems like Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, Joey Porter and Clark Haggans, and James Harrison and Lamar Woodley all produced heavy pressure and Super Bowl appearances. The Steelers linebackers work best in tandem and in 2020 during the pandemic, the Steelers had a dynamic duo with TJ Watt and Bud Dupree.

Watt joined Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday and he discussed his last season playing opposite Dupree. He told co-hosts Ben Roethlisberger and Spencer T’eo that the pandemic cost the team bonding time during training camp at Latrobe, PA, but it wasn’t all bad that season.

“On the road, you can hear things,” Watt described the opponent’s snap counts. “During COVID, we played in New York, and we could hear the huddle call for the first series. We had the Giants on a silent count by the second or third series. Me and Bud were just looking at each other, I was like it’s on one. They went to a silent count in an empty stadium, it was incredible.”

The Steelers opened the 2020 season on September 14th against the New York Giants. The Giants’ first drive did result in two first downs before they were forced to punt, but they immediately got the ball back when Diontae Johnson muffed the punt return. Despite getting the ball inside the five, the Steelers used the snap count advantage to hold the home team to a field goal. It was a key moment in what was a 26-16 victory for Pittsburgh.

Steelers' TJ Watt Shares Insight Into How He Approaches A Quarterback Sack

Defenders look for any advantage they can get and the Giants corrected their mistake the next time they took the field by switching to the silent count. The Steelers raced out to an 11-0 record with a 5-0 record in one-score games. Watt described that the silent count is not always effective and that on defense, it is not as simple as watching the ball.

“It’s not always the ball,” Watt shared. “There is someone on that line or in the backfield giving away when that ball is being snapped. Guys like sinking down just before he goes. There is tackles that’ll move their knee just before they go, stuff like that.”

Watt and Dupree were a terror in 2020. The Steelers were 10-0 entering a week 12 game against the Baltimore Ravens that was delayed several times. Dupree had an outstanding year while playing on the franchise tag for Pittsburgh. He was fifth in the NFL with sacks at 8 and was on pace to top his previous career high from the 2019 season of 11.5 sacks in 16 games.

The 2020 pandemic season was the last version of the Watt and Dupree tandem. The duo was highly effective and gave the Steelers the best pass rush in the NFL. Watt was commanding double teams and Dupree was taking full advantage until the NFL and a bitter rival who broke league rules surrounding the COVID-19 protocols delayed a Sunday game until Wednesday. It had dire consequences for the Steelers defense.

Dupree tore his ACL during a 19-14 victory on a non-contact play. The Steelers limped to a 1-4 finish without him opposite Watt who finished with a career-high at the time 15 sacks. The Steelers could not replace Dupree’s production opposite the Defensive Player of the Year runner up. They won the division title, but Pittsburgh fell to the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the playoffs.

The Steelers under Mike Tomlin don’t just preach the next man up philosophy, they believe it deeply. Alex Highsmith was not ready as a rookie to replace Dupree and it showed down the stretch. He improved in 2021 and last season, despite Watt missing 7 games, was among the league leaders in sacks all season. Dupree’s injury cost the 2020 team dearly, but it might have revealed an even better long-term answer.

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is the Steelers' careful attention to detail responsible for their great pass rush, or is the great pass rush just augmented when they pick up on opponent tendencies? Please comment below, or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.

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