Film Room: Trey Hendrickson's Dominance and How Steelers Can Stop It
Both of last years matchups between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals were lopsided for many reasons to say the least. However, It's a new year with a fresh start for both squads and what better what to usher in the new year than some AFC North football.
In order for the Steelers to fare better against the reigning AFC champions in 2022, it must start with containing their pass-rushing sensation, Trey Hendrickson.
Many, including myself, were curious if the Bengals overpaid Hendrickson coming off his breakout 2020 season where he notched 13.5 sacks for the New Orleans Saints. However, he quickly put that notion to bed as he had the best season of his career last year for the Cincinnati Bengals leading to his first career Pro Bowl appearance.
With the AFC North loaded with superstar edge rushers like T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett, Hendrickson's 2022 season flew a little bit under the radar, not getting nearly the recognition that he promptly deserved.
In 2022, here is where Hendrickson ranked league-wide in the following categories according to Sports Info Solutions:
Sacks: 14 (5th)
Pressures: 73 (4th)
Forced Fumbles: 3 (T-6th)
Holding Penalties Drawn: 8 (T-1st)
Those raw numbers are pretty spectacular on the surface and the film matches the production as Hendrickson's unique skill set as a pass rusher is a nightmare to prepare for.
The rest of this article will detail what makes Hendrickson a problem, feature some of his favorite tendencies as well as his go-to moves in his toolbox and how Dan Moore Jr. and the Steelers can slow him down.
Bull Rush
Hendrickson uses the power within his 6-4, 270-pound frame in a myriad of different ways and he has the ability to bullrush quality starting tackles at the professional level. When looking through all of his sacks over the past two seasons, this rep against Atlanta Falcons left tackle Jake Mathews was one that immediately stood out in a big way.
Hendrickson is aligned in a wide nine technique, his first two steps angling towards that outside shoulder of the left tackle. With Mathews opening up his shoulder too early to defend the corner, Hendrickson notices that Mathews has his shoulders turned towards the sideline, he puts his helmet into his chest and runs right down the middle. Mathews is unable to anchor upon contact and Hendrickson barrels straight into Matt Ryan for a sack.
Speed to Power/Rip
Hendrickson was a monster for the Bengals defense during the playoffs, accumulating 3.5 sacks for Lou Anarumo's unit. One of his most impressive reps came against former Bengal left tackle Andrew Whitworth early in the first quarter of the Super Bowl.
This could also be classified as a "power pop" where Hendrickson converts speed to power prior to ripping underneath Whitworth's outside shoulder. You immediately notice the explosive get-off to threaten the corner but Whitworth does a nice job getting out of his stance. However, this rep is won by leverage, Hendrickson is able to get under the blocker's chest, lifting him up before ripping underneath for the sack on Matthew Stafford.
Jab-Club
One of the most impressive reps that I saw all year was Hendrickson's sack on Justin Herbert where he beat rookie sensation Rashawn Slater off of the edge. This is a perfect example of Hendrickson's pass rush plan where he has a great understanding of how to set up his moves and keep left tackles guessing and off balance.
Hendrickson's first two steps are geared inside, utilizing a jab step to get Slater's inside foot to move back towards the left guard. Slater guesses wrong here, and misses his initial punch when Hendrickson slants back outside causing Slater to lose his balance. Because of the initial stem, Hendrickson is able to shorten the corner and the overall distance between himself and he's able to flatten towards the quarterback to register a high-quality sack.
Anytime you see an edge rusher defeat an elite left tackle with ease like that, it's a highlight-worthy play.
Stab-Chop
Hendrickson's final regular season tune-up came against the Kansas City Chiefs last year in a bit of a unique matchup.
Kansas City was down multiple tackles due to injury so they were forced to push starting left guard Joe Thuney outside in a pinch. While Thuney put together a remarkable performance altogether, mostly keeping the sack artist at bay, Hendrickson still got the best of him on a couple of reps.
Hendrickson will employ stab and swipe techniques whenever trying to win the corner off the edge. This stab-chop move is one of his go-to moves and it plays out exactly as it sounds.
He begins the rep by flashing the long arm into Thuney's chest and the left tackle responds by bringing his hands to the battle in preparation to anchor. From there, Hendrickson takes his outside arm and chops down the hands while flattening the quarterback. That pressure forces Mahomes into an errant throw that falls incomplete.
Hustle and Effort
While not necessarily a move per say, Hendrickson's game is built around his maniacal effort and red-hot motor. In the same fashion that T.J. Watt plays the game, Cincy's star edge rusher plays a million miles per hour at all times.
Due to his ever-lasting hustle, Hendrickson's never completely out of the play until the final whistle blows.
This was his trademark in New Orleans which carried over into last season and there were few better examples of that persistence than against the Steelers last season. Pittsburgh's in empty, trying to run a quick game dragon concept to the boundary. Hendrickson jabs inside, setting up a two-handed swipe but Moore handles this well initially by not giving him his hands prematurely. Moore is able to stay balanced and run him up the arc but Hendrickson just doesn't quit on the play. Good coverage gives him the extra split second he needs to force a fumble on Roethlisberger.
The examples above paint a pretty vivid picture of how much of a nuisance this guy can be to gameplan for. However, there are some best practices that can be used to contain him and prevent him from wrecking the offense's entire gameplan.
Now, we'll go over some things that Dan Moore can do to give himself a chance and some things that Matt Canada can implement to give him some help.
Hand Placement
For Dan Moore Jr. it all starts with hand placement, something he's struggled with as a pro to date.
With Hendrickson operating as a technician using swipes and chops, it will be important for Moore to be precise with his aiming points. It's imperative that Moore switches up his punches, from two-handed to independent jabs while aiming for that outside shoulder of Hendrickson on edge rushes.
If Moore's hand placement is wide upon contact, Hendrickson is going to put his helmet in Moore's chest and transition to a bull rush. It's also important not to be too heavy on that initial punch when he's trying to win the corner as he's looking closely to wipe those hands away before breaking to the corner.
Expect Power Early and Often
Hendrickson's a ball of energy with a relentless motor and his play style wears opponents down as it's difficult to match his effort on a snap-to-snap basis. In the games I watched, Hendrickson would focus on imposing his will physically to set up either a power pop series or his other go-to moves. Moore must anchor efficiently while maintaining that consistency for four quarters. If you can't stop his bull rush/long arm, then it's going to be a long day on that island.
Make Hendrickson Rush Twice
Something that Matt Canada didn't do enough of last season was give Moore help outside, especially against premier edge rushers.
Hendrickson isn't a hard guy to find, as he aligns almost exclusively on the right side of the defense. By staging a tight end to that side, you can effectively make him rush twice and beat multiple blockers, and elongate his pass rush path.
This could also include more chips from Najee Harris in the backfield. Does this hurt both Freiermuth and Harris' potential impact in the passing game? Sure. That doesn't mean it's not necessary though.
Pound the Rock
The main reason that Hendrickson isn't often mentioned in the same breath as T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett is because he's not as well-rounded, particularly against the run. You could best describe him as an adequate run defender at best but he's not particularly stout in terms of setting the edge and disrupting the game in that regard.
The goal should be to avoid being one-dimensional and make Hendrickson earn the right to rush the passer. Controlling the game script, and staying ahead of the chains will help the Steelers offense.
Move the Pocket
Mitch Trubisky's mobility was part of the reason that the Steelers became so enamored with him in free agency. Last season, Canada's offense deployed designed rollouts on just 6% of their pass plays. Expect that number to rise with a younger, more mobile signal caller this season. Moving that pocket will alter the pass rush plan of attack of Hendrickson and the rest of the Bengals defensive front.
Hendrickson won the battle last season against Moore, registering two sacks, 11 pressures and a forced fumble in just 61 pass rushing snaps across the two meetings. However, this is a great opportunity for Moore to put last year's matchup and a rough preseason behind him while getting his sophomore season off on a high note.
If Moore wants to prove himself as the Steelers franchise left tackle of the future, these types of matchups against premier edge rushers will go a long way in terms of earning the trust of the organization. A matchup so crucial that it just might determine the outcome of the game this weekend.
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