Can the Pittsburgh Steelers do the seemingly not possible by following the blueprint of one other staff that achieved the identical practically twenty years in the past? They could must strive if the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs proceed heating up en path to an ideal season. With their acquisition of edge rusher Preston Smith, Mike Garafolo can’t assist being reminded of the mid-2000s New York Giants. That overachieving Giants staff used a relentless, deep cross rush to take down an undefeated New England Patriots staff and Tom Brady within the Tremendous Bowl.
In fact, the Steelers can’t beat the Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl since they’re in the identical convention. However likelihood is excessive they would wish to undergo them within the playoffs sooner or later. Both method, the 2 groups will play on Christmas Day, and that will likely be a key check for this protection.
The Steelers entered this season believing of their three-headed monster with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig. After weathering accidents to Highsmith and Herbig, they now add Preston Smith as additional insulation. This might be the deepest pass-rush unit the Steelers have had in a while.
And a deep cross rush was the hallmark of the Giants’ 2007 Tremendous Bowl staff. Already boasting Corridor of Famer Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, they added Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka in consecutive drafts. Through the 2007 season, the quartet produced 36.5 sacks, plus one other six within the postseason. The Steelers have 12 sacks this season by eight video games from their exterior linebackers.
“I lined the Giants again in 2006, 2007 after they drafted Mathias Kiwanuka and Justin Tuck”, Garafolo recalled on yesterday’s NFL Community Insiders Particular, discussing the Steelers’ acquisition of Preston Smith. “I keep in mind [Giants GM] Ernie Accorsi saying on the time, ‘You may by no means have sufficient cross rushers’. That they had 4 of them. The Steelers [are] including one other one proper now”.
Whereas Accorsi was not part of the 2007 Giants staff, that was as a result of he retired following the 2006 season after drafting Kiwanuka. The Giants honored Accorsi with a hoop for his or her 2007 Tremendous Bowl victory regardless of that, understanding how integral his roster constructing, significantly alongside the line of defense, was to their success. And the Steelers additionally consider their cross rush is essential to their success.
Increasingly in recent times, the Steelers have positioned an emphasis on high quality depth at this place. I discussed in a earlier publish Melvin Ingram and Markus Golden, now Herbig changing into that third participant. Smith provides them probably the most sensible 4 they’ve had in latest reminiscence, now that Herbig is absolutely built-in.
The Steelers will nonetheless want inside defensive strain, nevertheless, from the likes of Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton. They usually could must get artistic by utilizing three edge rushers on the sector on the identical time. Opposing groups try to attenuate their cross rush by getting the ball out shortly. One option to attempt to alleviate that’s to be sure you hold your rushers recent, and Smith is a step in that path.
