Steelers' Ryan Clark Takes Huge Swing At Defense But Recognizes Way To Win In Week 7

The Pittsburgh Steelers are known throughout the league and NFL history as a team that knows a thing or two about rushing the passer. From 2018 to 2023, the Steelers have the most sacks in the league. TJ Watt is a beast and already has the Steelers franchise sack record, not to mention that Watt tied the NFL single-season sack record in 2021, which also ended up being his Defensive Player of the Year campaign. With the Los Angeles Rams ahead in a Week 7 clash, the Steelers pass rush could end up being the difference between a victory and loss.

Steelers Secondary Has A Lot To Prove Against Rams

On Friday, NFL Live previewed the Steelers upcoming game against the Rams, and Ryan Clark didn't mince words when he gave his opinion. Clark, who was referred to as the resident expert on the Steelers, was asked what Pittsburgh's defense had to do on Sunday to combat the Rams offense.

"Nah, I ain't no expert on this defense. This defense gave up 30 points to the Houston Texans and CJ Stroud. That ain't mine."

Now, Clark immediately laughed it off, but there was a kernel of truth to the humor he opened his analysis with. The 2023 Steelers defense is certainly not among those that would be considered the great Pittsburgh defenses of the century - at least not where they currently are. Does that mean the defense will be inept against the Rams offensive attack?

It is going to come down to whether the Steelers can get to Stafford or whether he will be able to sit back and throw as he pleases. Clark noted that, not only Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua performed exceptionally over the first part of the 2023 season, but now Cooper Kupp is back from injury. It didn't take long for Kupp to transition back into his comfort zone as Stafford's primary target. Clark is looking to Pittsburgh's secondary to force Stafford to hold the ball longer than he wants, putting him right in the place the pass rush wants him.

"If you don't lock up on the back end and make Matthew Stafford hold the ball to give this front opportunities to get to him, we've seen him carve defenses up the entire year. His elbow must be healthy...because when Matthew Stafford has an opportunity to step into a throw with conviction, there hasn't been a better quarterback the entire season."

Whether it is Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, or the rookie Joey Porter Jr, these cornerbacks need to communicate and make sure they place their spots perfectly, or else they will put themselves in harm's way from the start of the game the entire way to the final whistle.

Steelers Pass Rush Eager To Make Stafford Uncomfortable

Clark saw Pittsburgh's success heavily relying on the secondary to hold their own against a potent Rams team. Still, the group that will be expected to show up are the Steelers' brilliant defensive bookends. Watt and Alex Highsmith combine to form one of the league's scariest duos when it comes to chasing down the quarterback. As good as Stafford is, when his pocket suffers, so does the entire passing attack. NFL Live host Laura Rutledge opened the segment by going over the difficulty the Rams quarterback has had against pressure in 2023.

"Matthew Stafford has struggled when he doesn't have the benefit of a clean pocket, ranking in the bottom five of the NFL in QBR and completion percentage when he is pressured. Now, this could be an issue cause, you know, he's playing TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, [and] the rest of that Steelers defense. They have pressured opposing quarterbacks at the sixth highest rate in the NFL."

When he feels the pressure, Stafford currently ranks 29th in QBR (6.6), 31st in completion percentage (31%), and 28th in yards per attempt (3.7 YPA) across the NFL. On the other side of those shaky rankings are the Steelers, with Watt and Highsmith leading a defensive front that gets pressure at a ridiculous pace of 33%. That means that every three plays, you get a fearsome Pittsburgh pass rusher somewhere close enough to knock the quarterback off their rhythm. That is precisely what the Rams don't want to happen on Sunday.

The Steelers bring a very unsure 3-2 record into Los Angeles on Sunday, and with the 2023 campaign revolving around a mediocre offense and an exhausted defense, there is a great deal of pride on the line. We all know the kind of game-disrupting force that Watt and Highsmith can be, but the question is whether the opportunities they create will result in any offensive production. Pittsburgh has had a bye week and plenty of input to prepare them for Sunday's game, but it's still Matt Canada, so let's not hold our collective breaths just yet.

How many sacks will Watt and Highsmith combine for against the Rams in Week 7? 

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