The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their winning streak with a Week 11 victory over their AFC North rival, the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers were able to shut down one of the best offenses in the NFL, holding them to 16 points and only allowing them to convert four of their 11 third-down attempts. The defense also forced three turnovers in its first divisional win, with one coming on the first two plays of the game.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' TJ Watt and Nick Herbig in pregame.
Nick Herbig, who made his return after an ankle injury he suffered in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys, talked during a media scrum about his first game back. Herbig made his presence felt early after forcing a fumble on the second play of the game. Herbig got the start for the injured Alex Highsmith, felt that was truly back after his big play.
"After that second play, I was like, Yeah, I'm back." said Herbig. "It felt good to be back out there with my guys, man. That's all I can ask for."
The Steelers lost Highsmith in their Week 10 win against the Washington Commanders and he will miss a bit of time to his ankle injury. While Pittsburgh will miss its outside linebacker, having Herbig and the newly-acquired Preston Smith to fill his shoes has shown that the Steelers can still create pressure without him. The Steelers had a tough test with not only containing the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson, but handling an elite running back in Derrick Henry.
Herbig, who was having a great second year in the NFL before his injury, got right back on track with a forced fumble on Henry. This was Henry's first fumble in 538 touches and it couldn't have come in a bigger game. The Steelers wanted to make statement early and they did. Unfortunately, the fumble only resulted in three points rather than six.
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Steelers' Nick Herbig getting locked in pregame.
The Steelers made sure that injuries to their outside linebacker room doesn't hinder them as it has in past seasons. Drafting Herbig in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and adding Smith at this year's trade deadline, these pieces help fill the void that Highsmith's injury left. Herbig had a great start to the season before his injury, but didn't miss a beat when he came back in Week 11. This season, Herbig has two and a half sacks, with three tackles for loss and a force fumble.
Pittsburgh will have to continue to lean on Herbig and Smith this season, especially on a short week. The Steelers will be traveling to Cleveland for Thursday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns; another AFC North showdown. While the Browns have been struggling this season, this isn't a game that the Steelers can take lightly. They will need their pass rush to continue to be effective to make life hard for Jameis Winston and add another win to their current streak.
AP
Steelers' Nick Herbig celebrates with Joey Porter Jr.
Steelers Will Continue To Lean On Herbig To Make Big Plays In Highsmith's Absence
The Steelers' coaching staff was happy to get Herbig back in its biggest game of the season. Herbig made his presence known and help lead the Steelers to a win that builds some distance between Pittsburgh and the Ravens. The Steelers have another opportunity to grab another AFC North win in Cleveland on Thursday Night.
Pittsburgh once again will be without Highsmith, and the Steelers' coaching staff will continue to rely on Herbig and Smith to make plays. Herbig, who wanted to take a big leap in his second year, is continually learning from both Highsmith and TJ Watt, and even has taken advantage of getting pointers from Steelers great James Harrison during training camp this offseason. Herbig will want to continue to make his presence known with each snap he gets.
How impressed were you with Herbig and Smith's play in the Steelers' Week 11 victory? Do you expect Herbig to continue to make big plays while Highsmith nurses his ankle injury? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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