STEELERS

Dylan Cook elected to use a baseball analogy to describe the tools that truly make Texans edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson stand out amongst the others in the NFL. 

"It's moreso their changeups," Cook said prior to the start of practice this morning at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "We all know they're power guys, but they both have really good spin moves, they both have really good motors, good hand usage. The fastballs are obviously dynamic and obviously powerful, but the changeups are really good for them."

Cook knows that in order to contain both Hunter and Anderson, and keep them from getting to Aaron Rodgers in Monday night's wild-card game, an emphasis has to be placed on limiting the success they can find when utilizing their complementary skills.

Hunter is third in the NFL with 15 sacks and Anderson ranks tied for eighth with 12, but the Steelers' offensive line has had plenty of practice against players with similar strengths. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig all have legitimate "fastballs" that make them threats to any opposing unit. But they also have those secondary pitches, so to speak, that can make them even more dynamic. 

"We've got a pretty dynamic rush group ourselves, so just going up against those guys like Herbig, TJ, Alex, ever since Latrobe, we've got a good feel because they all have good changeups, too," Cook said. "Just gotta be grounded, stay out of third and long, and just expect it." 

The Steelers aren't unfamiliar with performing well against teams that have found success getting to the quarterback, as the Texans have in ranking tied for seventh in the NFL with 47 sacks. The league's top teams in that category consist of the Broncos (68), Falcons (57), Browns (53), Lions (49) and Vikings (49). The Steelers are up there, too, with 48 sacks. 

Against those teams, the Steelers played four games during the regular season -- two against the Browns, one against the Vikings and another against the Lions. They were 3-1 in those games and never allowed more than two sacks in any of the four. 

Cook thinks the collective success against those top-tier pass rushes stems from the Rodgers' quick decision making, which makes the job of the offensive line much easier.

"It starts with 8," Cook said. "He gets the ball out, he understands the assignment and he gets rid of the ball. He doesn't really demand us to hold up, even though that's what we obviously want to do, but he just gets the ball out so fast and processes the defense so fast." 

That quick decision making will once again come in handy against a Texans defense that allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards (3,120) in the NFL during the regular season. But the offensive line has to do its part, too, and continue to protect the veteran quarterback, especially with players like Hunter and Anderson intent on changing the complexion of the game with their pass-rushing abilities. 

"It's good on good, as it is every week," Arthur Smith said. "You've got a little more time, this is the first time I've been involved in a Monday night playoff game, but we're excited about it."