Last Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, the Pitsburgh Steelers’ outside linebackers were responsible for making two big plays that stick out. The first was OLB T.J. Watt’s interception at the beginning of the second half, swinging the momentum into Pittsburgh’s favor. They would go on to score off the turnover and add two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal the win. The second was rookie OLB Nick Herbig’s first career sack, a play that’s been scrutinized as to whether Herbig was supposed to rush on that play or drop into coverage.
Speaking to the media Friday, Watt clarified things when talking about his protege’s interception, also referencing former OLB James Harrison’s interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII. Watt said that Herbig was supposed to play in coverage but decided to hunt the quarterback instead.
“Yeah, Herbig was supposed to drop, and he rushed and got a sack so maybe I should start rushing every single down,” Watt joked on Friday via video from the Steelers’ YouTube channel. “There’s a reason I don’t have the communication in my headset because I wouldn’t listen to any of it anyways.”
Herbig mentioned that he wasn’t sure that he was supposed to drop into coverage or rush the quarterback on the play that he got his first NFL sack earlier this week. Nonetheless, he beat LT Alaric Jackson around the corner after the Rams went hurry-up and got to QB Matthew Stafford. DC Teryl Austin joked with reporters yesterday about the miscommunication on the play as well, stating that he’d just go with Herbig being tasked to rush on the play given the outcome.
Watt is the first person to confirm that Herbig was, in fact, supposed to drop into coverage on the play, an interesting and positive outcome given the fact that he didn’t stick to his original assignment. The Steelers don’t drop their outside linebackers near as much in coverage as they used to when Watt was a rookie, utilizing their strengths more on rushing the passer rather than dropping into zone coverage.
However, Pittsburgh likely doesn’t get that swing of momentum the way it did against the Rams if not for Watt’s interception, likely changing the outcome of the game. Perhaps Watt doesn’t need to rush every single play if he can throw in game-changing plays like that when he’s in coverage, having 42 pass deflections and seven interceptions thus far in his NFL career.
