One more series before we get into training camp and speed ahead towards the Pittsburgh Steelers’ regular season. A numbers-to-note campaign, focusing on one specific number we want to see the Steelers change in 2023. Some may be individual, some unit, and some team. Next up in the series:
NUMBERS TO NOTE: STEELERS’ SACKS (40)
Now this is a number that comes without important context. You already know what it is. While Pittsburgh’s defense recorded just 40 sacks a season ago, that’s largely due to T.J. Watt missing half the year with a torn pectoral. Without him, the team’s pass rush tanked and at the bye week, the sack total looked bleak.
Watt’s return brought back the pressure. It still waned a bit and Watt played beat up and far less than 100 percent, but it definitely got better. The finale felt like a Steelers’ game of yesteryear, harassing the Cleveland Browns to close things out. Deshaun Watson was sacked seven times, including the final play of the season, as Pittsburgh came out on top.
Last year, Pittsburgh’s streak of five-straight seasons with 50-plus sacks was sadly broken. But 2023 will be a chance to start it over and that should be the goal. The front seven’s pass rush looks strong on paper. Watt is fully back while Alex Highsmith is coming off a breakout year, finishing sixth in the league with 14.5 sacks. Markus Golden is depth that’s been missing since 2020 while Nick Herbig will be a fine No. 4.
Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi should anchor the d-line while Keeanu Benton offers enough pass rush juice to finish his rookie season with 2.5-3 sacks.
As Tony Calderone wrote earlier this month, the team should get back to its 50-sack ways. In the past, I’ve floated the idea of reaching 60, something the Steelers haven’t been able to achieve. In fact, it was the other Pennsylvania team that became the first unit to do so since the 2013 Carolina Panthers; the Philadelphia Eagles finished with an incredible 70 of them in 2022.
Right now, it’s not important to set the bar that high. Get back to 50, get back to a strong defense throughout the year. We can sketch out rough math to how to realistically get there and I’ll be conservative with all my numbers.
T.J. Watt – 18.0
Alex Highsmith – 12.0
Cam Heyward – 8.5
Larry Ogunjobi – 4.5
Markus Golden – 3.0
Keeanu Benton – 2.5
DeMarvin Leal – 2.0
Armon Watts – 1.0
Secondary – 2.0
Elandon Roberts – 1.5
Cole Holcomb – 1.0
Nick Herbig – 0.5
That’s 55 sacks while hardly breaking a sweat. Nothing there is asking for the moon and again, those figures are on the low side of each player’s projection. That’s their task. While the Steelers’ offense can and must improve, the defense will still be the bedrock of the team.
