Steelers unveil rejuvenated pass rush

Steelers unveil rejuvenated pass rush
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August 30
Pittsburgh Tribune Review


"They managed just one sack against Carolina.

Then again, the urgency of approach was such in the Steelers' preseason finale Thursday night that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger departed having officially attempted zero passes.

The substitutes started hitting the field even before Roethlisberger called it a night, with several lining up the second time the Steelers positioned themselves to return a kickoff just over five minutes into the first quarter.

The starting offense and defense played just two series.

And the Panthers starters didn't play at all.

The three previous preseason games the Steelers played weren't exactly perceived as make-or-break affairs, either.

But the combined 10 sacks they had collected against Philadelphia, Buffalo and Minnesota, including six from starting linebackers James Harrison, James Farrior and LaMarr Woodley and starting defensive end Aaron Smith, had the Steelers encouraged about the potential of their pass rush this season.

"We've got some guys individually that are rushing well that haven't played complete games," Tomlin said. "You envision those guys putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback."

Although the starters failed to add to their sack totals against Carolina, pressure generated from a blitz contributed to an interception by cornerback Bryant McFadden that ended the Panthers' second possession.

The ability to consistently generate such pressure is what matters to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

Woodley, a second-year pro and first-year starter in Clark Haggans' vacated outside linebacker spot, concurs.

"If you keep pressure on the quarterback, have him in there (in the pocket) with the happy feet, that's something we'd like to do and continue to do," Woodley said.

LeBeau's defenses have endeavored over the years to produce pressure through the disguising of coverages and blitzes that rely more on deception than overwhelming numbers.

The plan this year may involve taking deception to another level through the increased use of "walk-around" defenses in passing situations.

The Steelers re-introduced these looks to their defense last season.

While remaining relatively basic in approach this preseason, they featured on occasion defenses in passing situations in which only Smith had has hand on the ground when the ball was snapped.

There's much more where that came from, defensive end Brett Keisel said, if the Steelers can perfect it.

"We have some nice things in place," Keisel said. "Whether we can all get on the same page and use them, I hope so. All that stuff can create a great deal of difficulty for an offense. You don't know who's coming (on a blitz) and that has a nice impact."