Why Steelers’ Sack Totals Are Skyrocketing

Back to talk to the tape for one of honestly the most important subjects we can cover. The Pittsburgh Steelers are tied for second in the NFL with nine sacks through two weeks. Compare that to having just one last year, tied for last. The key difference? Rush lane integrity. Keeping the QB within the pocket to allow blitzes to be effective and guys to win their one-on-one matchups.

We use the first two games to show several examples of how it works and why it helps.

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Honestly I think it's a mixture of the quality of the teams we have played so far and playing against a Rookie QB and a perennial back up. Hopefully the quality of the D's play will continue when we start playing playoff caliber teams. Until then I am in a show me something stance. They have looked decent but there still are times they looked suspect over the last two games. I know we have 4 new players out there that have yet to fully absorb the system so as the season progresses it would seem they should get even better. Lots of things to look forward to for sure...

SteelerFreak58 wrote:

Honestly I think it's a mixture of the quality of the teams we have played so far and playing against a Rookie QB and a perennial back up. Hopefully the quality of the D's play will continue when we start playing playoff caliber teams. Until then I am in a show me something stance. They have looked decent but there still are times they looked suspect over the last two games. I know we have 4 new players out there that have yet to fully absorb the system so as the season progresses it would seem they should get even better. Lots of things to look forward to for sure...

Great post. Nailed it.

it is just my eye test but imo this defense looks so much better in the first two games then last years defense did in their first two games last year.

effyou515 wrote:

it is just my eye test but imo this defense looks so much better in the first two games then last years defense did in their first two games last year.

Yeah, there's definitely some improvement. But they still hsve a long way to go. I've been hearing a lot of people in the media say that we have one of the best defenses in the AFC. Makes me wonder if they're actually watching the games or just looking at stats. As Freak said ... they've looked decent, but you also have to consider who they've played. And even against rookie and backup QBs, the defense has looked suspect at times. We won't learn anything this week either. The first real test will come next week.

effyou515 wrote:

it is just my eye test but imo this defense looks so much better in the first two games then last years defense did in their first two games last year.

My eyes are seeing the same thing.

Sometimes the eye test is more reliable than a pile of stats.

Might say backup QB / Rookie QB this, but you know, for the last few years we made backups look like Joe Montana. So this IS definite improvement.

Fire Arians wrote:

Might say backup QB / Rookie QB this, but you know, for the last few years we made backups look like Joe Montana. So this IS definite improvement.

Exactly. I mean time will tell what this defense is but this can't totally be dismissed either.

Probably a mix of a few things, the quality of the opposition, the growing talent and experience of the line. However......it's 2 games. If we are leading the sack race in December I'll be happy with it.

I want to think some of this is coming from the secondary. In the Brown's game I 'n pretty sure 3 of the sacks were coverage. I look at these first 3 games like preseason. The defense is getting their sea legs.
I don't want to jinx them by saying we can only get better. HEALTH is going to be key with this unit.

I bumped the offense thread, so I might as well show the defense some "love" as well. I don't think anyone is going to make the claim now that we have one of the top defenses in the AFC. As I said earlier, this defense still has a long way to go. And Butler is making a case to join Haley in the doghouse.

"I don't think anyone is going to make the claim now that we have one of the top defenses in the AFC"

That's for sure

Artie Burns with quite possibly the worst run fill in the history of defense. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/nqbj3hQQw2

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 25, 2017

Steelers missed 5 tackles last week. They missed 4 on this 3rd and 2. pic.twitter.com/nNTQsEou32

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 25, 2017