The Pittsburgh Steelers are now about to head into training camp in a few short weeks. The fans are ravenous and are looking for any reason to jump aboard the 'hype train' for this team. It's at this point in the offseason when fans cling onto anything and everything that is said - especially when current players are the ones sharing the insight. With the new uptick in podcasting, players both current and new are able to share their insights and opinions on a public platform. That is exactly what happened on June 30th, an experience that was later posted on Twitter.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' Larry Ogunjobi waits for drills to start during a team practice in 2022.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' own Larry Ogunjobi recently went on the “The Sick Podcast” and talked about the upcoming year for the Steelers defense (full video). While on the podcast, Ogunjobi talked about the main aim for the defense in 2023.
"I think as a defense, it's always eliminating big plays, it takes a team. You can be a guy, but when you put a bunch of guys together, that's when we start seeing a true difference. I just feel like we're in that progression right now."
The goal every year is to be elite, but the Steelers defense may be closer than many think to that mark. Let's discuss.
2022 wasn’t a total wash:
Many fans would like to write off the 2022 season because of how disastrously the team played immediately following the injury to TJ Watt. This is definitely fair considering the team went 1-6 in his absence. The team did rally late in the year and were quite close to a playoff berth, so there is room for some optimism. Even while missing their x-factor player for seven games, and Watt not putting up the gaudy numbers from a season before, the defense did play well.
Steelers.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense takes the field at Acrisure Stadium in 2022.
The San Francisco 49ers arguably had the best defense in the league in 2022. They ranked top five or number one in almost every defensive category. Even with a depleted pass rush and a corner room with no real superstars, the Steelers still ranked within the top 10 for total points, points per game, and rushing yards. However, the Steelers did show a real weakness against the pass in 2022, ranking 20th for pass yards and pass yards per game.
What does all of this mean? This means that with a healthy pass rush limiting passing yards and an improved cornerback room, the Steelers can really shoot up in these rankings. These statistics also show that even without Watt, the Steelers' defense was a lot closer to the best than the worst.
How Ogunjobi’s dreams come true:
Ogunjobi talked about wanting to eliminate big plays on the defense. He talked about wanting the defense to play as a unit and making a true difference. How do the Steelers make this dream a reality? The answer is really three fold: pass rush, turnovers, and the defensive superstars.
If the members of the pass rush can stay healthy, opposing offenses simply won’t have the time to make big plays happen. No matter their quality, if a defense gives an NFL caliber quarterback all day to throw, eventually he will make a play. Fortunately, before 2021, the Steelers set an NFL record (and made it into the Guinness Book of world records) for consecutive games with a sack. With at least one sack in 75 straight games, it’s fair to say that this defense has history on their side in terms of sack production. Entering the 2023 season with the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t hurt their chances either.
Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP Photo
Steelers' TJ Watt gets a strip sack on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Big plays can’t happen if the opposing offense doesn’t have the ball - a very obvious, but also very true, statement. This defense is quite good at turning a game on its head with these turnovers. In 2022, the Steelers defense was tied for first in the NFL with, you guessed it, the 49ers, with 20 interceptions.
Tony Avelar / AP
Steelers superstar safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (#39) stiff arms 49ers stud tight end George Kittle (#85) during an interception return in their matchup in 2019.
The final way the Steelers will try to eliminate these big plays is by simply allowing their own superstars to do their thing. With elite level talent on every level of the defense (Watt and Alex Highsmith technically listed at outside linebacker), this unit can really afford to allow their superstars to show their talent and individuality. Talented players always have a knack for making plays, and this Steelers defense not only has talent, but they know how to use it.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
The Steelers front office may view Alex Highsmith as the priority for the rest of the offseason now, as he's set to enter free agency after this upcoming season.
How realistic is this for the Steelers?
The optimism with this defensive squad is high going into 2023, but so is the realism. The major factor, as is the case for every team, comes down to health. If this squad can stay relatively healthy, there's no reason to think they can’t band together to stop big plays. The same defensive coordinator is returning, the scheme isn’t changing, and the roster turnover was minimal. All of these factors lead to a cohesive unit bent on eliminating big plays and causing chaos.
