Steelers' Patrick Graham Reveals Hidden Impact Of Alex Highsmith

Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith does not have the kind of numbers that make national headlines this season. The organization does not seem to care. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham went out of his way this week to explain why Highsmith has been far more important to the defense than the box score shows. His comments come as the Steelers get ready for a first-place showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night, a game in which the pass rush will need every edge it can get against Joe Burrow.

Through eight games, Highsmith has 3.5 sacks, 18 tackles, five tackles for loss, nine quarterback hurries and a pass defensed. Those are solid totals, but they are not the eye-popping figures fans expect from a pass rusher who plays alongside TJ Watt. Graham said the Steelers track the things that never make the stat sheet, according to Steelers.com.

"The numbers or whatever the stats there on the sheet don't show up. But in terms of caused penalties, how he's helping with the coordination of the rush, what he's done in terms of setting hard, short edges in the run game -- we keep track of that. I hope he appreciates our stat list," Graham said.

That list covers a lot of the work that makes a defense go. Holding calls that wipe out big plays, edges that force runs back inside and a rusher who helps organize the rest of the front all add up, even if none of them shows up in a sack total.

Steelers Coordinator Gives Alex Highsmith High Praise

Graham pointed to the Steelers' 27-6 win over the Cleveland Browns before the bye as a good example. Highsmith finished that game with five tackles, half a sack and three quarterback hurries, and Graham said his effort stood out.

"You watched the game (against Cleveland), he played with his hair on fire. But I think he's been like that. I can tell you this, to be around Alex in terms of how he goes about his business on a day to day, I'll speak personally how he's influenced me in terms of personal standpoint. It's been a pleasure to be around him," Graham said.

It is rare for a coordinator to say a player has influenced him personally. Graham did not stop there. He also described how much the Steelers ask of Highsmith on a weekly basis.

"Then when you watch him on the field in terms of how he plays, how hard he plays, what we ask him to do, he's so disciplined. We ask him to set the edge. We ask him to drop. We ask him to play the run. We ask him to pass rush. All those things that he does out there at a high level," Graham said.

That versatility matters in Graham's system. In his first season in Pittsburgh, Graham has said his defense is built on a handful of calls with players moved around in different spots, and that the results depend more on how the players execute than on the call itself. A player who can rush, drop into coverage and hold up against the run gives Graham more ways to disguise what is coming. 

Graham explained that philosophy on Wednesday, also in comments shared by Steelers.com, when he deflected praise from Cameron Heyward back onto his players.

"Those guys, very little of what happens on Sunday has anything to do with what call I make. It's really the choice the players make in terms of their play style, the standard they want to have, and us being collaborative in terms of understanding," Graham said.

It also helps explain how the defense has been the driving force behind the Steelers' four-game winning streak. Watt grabs the attention, and SteelerNation looked at the difficult rematch Watt faces with the tackle who shut him down in Week 3. If Cincinnati again sends extra help toward Watt, Highsmith will need to win his own matchups on the other side.

The Steelers held the Bengals to 27 points in the first meeting and sealed the win with a late strip-sack of Burrow by Derrick Harmon. Cincinnati has won four straight since then while scoring at least 31 points in each game, so the pressure on the edges will be critical on Sunday night. The sack numbers may not tell the whole story, but Graham made it clear that the Steelers know exactly what Highsmith brings.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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