T.J. Watt has established himself as an elite pass-rusher, but don’t mistake him for a one-trick pony.
Watt is also one of the best linebackers out there when it comes to shutting down the run game. In 2019, Watt ranked fifth among all NFL edge rushers in Stop Rate, according to Football Outsiders. Stop Rate measures how often a defender stops a play in a situation that increases the odds of his team ending the opponent’s drive. Defenders are credited with a stop if they finish a play with the opponent gaining less than 45 percent of yards needed on first down, 60 percent on second down, and 100 percent on third and fourth down. Watt had an impressive 90 percent Stop Rate last year, and he tackled runners an average of 1.8 yards past the line of scrimmage (28th among edge rushers).
MORE STEELERS
• Spare a dime: With the the team mostly lacking linebackers who could drop into pass coverage, the 2018 Steelers relied upon the dime defensive package (six defensive backs) more than any other team in the NFL. Pittsburgh used the dime on 33 percent of defensive snaps, according to Football Outsiders. For comparison’s sake, NFL teams used the dime package just 13 percent of the time overall. The dime wasn’t kind to the Steelers, either, with the club performing about 15 percent worse than average on a per-snap basis when they deployed that formation. With Devin Bush and Mark Barron in the fold, the Steelers shouldn’t have to use the dime package as much in 2019. And, with the secondary getting reinforcements, they shouldn’t be as exposed when they do choose to put six defensive backs on the field.
• Powering up: For an offense that features a quality line and a running back in James Conner who’s fully capable of trucking people, the Steelers were surprisingly reluctant to play smashmouth football in situations where it made sense. On average, NFL teams ran the ball 57 percent of the time last season in scenarios where they had to gain a yard or two on third and fourth down, or were within two yards of the end zone. The Steelers, by contrast, ran just 45 percent of the time in power situations (29th among teams). When they did try to outmuscle the defense, they often succeeded. Pittsburgh gained a first down or scored a touchdown 71 percent of the time in power running situations, which ranked fifth among NFL teams. With Benny Snell joining Conner in the backfield, and the Steelers seeking greater offensive balance this season, they could rely more on the running game in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
