Steelers Film Room: Defensive Takeaways From T.J. Watt's First Game Back
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It's hard to explain to most just how impactful T.J. Watt is on a snap-to-snap basis, but with him back in the fold, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense just looks different.
Different in a good way, as they held the New Orleans Saints to less than 200 total yards on offense and just ten points on the scoreboard. After combing through the film, Watt was one of many standouts on a day where there were very few blemishes on that side of the ball.
T.J. Watt's Long-Awaited Return to Action
It was a sight for sore eyes seeing number 90 run out of the tunnel and take the field with the starting defense for just the second time this season. Watt made his presence felt early on the Saints' first drive of the afternoon, shedding blockers to make consecutive run stops near the line of scrimmage. That would end up being a theme throughout the afternoon as the Saints kept insisting on blocking him with a tight end and he made them pay time after time.
Watt was in the game for six run plays and was in on four total tackles, with the average depth of those tackles being .8 yards, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Watt was tasked with a tough matchup with Saints right tackle Ryan Ramcyzk, one of the most complete right tackles in the game. It wasn't a particularly disruptive afternoon in the pass-rushing department, but he did register three pressures on the day.
Even coming off of an injury, the Saints showed him a ton of respect, constantly aligning tight ends to his side for chips in an effort to neutralize his impact. The highlight of his day was this inside swim move which forced an errant throw from Andy Dalton.
Watt certainly didn't appear limited in any fashion which is the most encouraging part of the day. His impact goes beyond the stat sheet, and there are better days ahead for the Steelers' defense because of that.
Alex Highsmith's Career Year Continues
Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Watt's return was Alex Highsmith, who's in the midst of a career season in his third year as a pro.
Because of the attention being focused on the other side, Highsmith saw a bunch of one-on-one opportunities with the Saints' right tackles. He took full advantage of those, registering a pair of sacks and five total pressures on the quarterback.
His signature inside spin move has become a lethal weapon that left tackles have struggled with all season long as this was his fourth sack on the season when using this move.
Saints right tackle James Hurst was forced to exit the ballgame early due to a concussion and things just got worse for Andy Dalton from there. Highsmith continued to wreak havoc on backup Landon Young.
Highsmith continues to show an impressive ability to win those short, tight corners and maintain speed up the arch despite contact from opposing pass protectors. A pure speed rusher with an impressive get-off that also shows up against the run, the Charlotte product is establishing himself as one of the better young pass rushers in the game today.
Cam Heyward's Stands Out Against the Run
Coming into the game, everyone knew that stopping the Saints' ground attack of Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill was priority number one. The 33-year-old defensive end rose to the challenge and had one of his best games of the season in terms of stopping the run.
Some of that was aided by the fact that the Saints were missing multiple starting offensive linemen, but the truth is, no one could block him up front. He had no trouble stacking and shedding blocks and consistently clogged up gaps all day long.
In the video below, he maintained gap integrity and forced a cutback into a wave of Steelers defenders for a short gain.
Heyward matched Watt's impressive numbers against the run, posting four tackles, one of which came in the backfield. He was also a key cog in stopping Andy Dalton's quarterback sneak in the second half of the game.
He's been awfully quiet this season as a pass rusher, but he did rack up three pressures on the day including one where he bull-rushed the left guard into Dalton's lap prior to the throw.
With Watt back in the fold, it should free him up for more one-on-one chances with teams insisting on sliding the protection the other way. Either way, Heyward's run-stopping prowess has been elite and is a big reason why the Steelers are seventh in rushing success rate on the season.
Robert Spillane's Busy Afternoon
Even with Myles Jack active for the game, the Steelers elected to sit him out which gave Robert Spillane a chance to start. Spillane was certainly active, against the run in particular, as he led the team with seven tackles on the day.
Whether it was film study or just instincts, Spillane was calling out runs before they were happening. He flowed well to the football all game long, and his play off of the bench was a key factor in their success in slowing New Orleans' running attack down.
It wasn't all roses, however. Despite the Steelers insisting on playing him in their dime package, Spillane still has some struggles in coverage which continued in Week 10.
He was by far their most targeted defender and was bailed out on a couple of occasions due to poor throws. The Saints haven't been using Alvin Kamara much on option routes this season, but they chose to do in this game. Pittsburgh asked Spillane to cover the versatile chess piece far too often, and the results should've been much worse.
While frustrating, part of the blame needs to be placed on the shoulders of the coaching staff for putting him in inopportune situations where he's not athletically fit to win.
Levi Wallace's Case to Remain Starter
With recently acquired William Jackson and struggling incumbent Ahkello Witherspoon both on the shelf with injuries, Levi Wallace saw another starting slot this past weekend.
Wallace was the second most targeted player in coverage, allowing three catches on seven passes thrown his way. The Saints only managed to score one touchdown, but it was at Wallace's expense.
Pittsburgh appeared to be in a quarters look with him responsible for the deep 1/4, but his eyes were laser-focused on the number one receiver, and never saw the tight end running the wheel route into his zone.
Because of his lack of long speed, Wallace is someone that you want to give safety help to over the top. The Saints took a deep shot his way in the fourth quarter, and while he was originally beat off of the line of scrimmage, he was able to get back into phase partially thanks to an under-thrown football. It was still nice to see him look, lean and finish on the play with a high-pointing interception which gave the offense the ball back.
It was a bit of an uneven day in coverage for him overall as there were impressive displays of click and close ability coupled with some examples of his athletic limitations. Wallace has a chance to cement himself as the starter over the next couple of weeks as the other members of the secondary continue working their way back from injuries.
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