The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their warts this season, but very few have been along the defensive front. While T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward often steal headlines, it’s actually been two, lesser-known players holding the fort down for the team.
ESPN Sports Analytics Writer Seth Walder shared a graph on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he charted defensive tackles’ double-team rate by their pass-rush win rate.
As you can see from the chart, three Steelers made the list.
First, let’s deal with the great. In the face of potentially being cut after training camp, Montravius Adams has been a revelation up front. According to Walder’s charting, Adams is being double-teamed over 70% of the time, which is second only to Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett. Despite this, the 6-4, 304-pounder has made his mark with a pass-rush win rate of over 10%, not easy to do when facing so many bodies.
Adams, a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the second-ranked defensive tackle in 2013, struggled to find his footing early in the NFL after being selected in the third round of the 2017 draft by the Green Bay Packers. Now, in his third season with the Steelers, the big man seems to be hitting his stride.
Next up we have rookie sensation Keeanu Benton. The defensive lineman out of Wisconsin has been stellar for the team since arriving, and according to the chart, rates right in the middle of the pack in terms of double teams and win rates.
Benton provided the team with a spark during Heyward’s absence, racking up nine tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. That isn’t even mentioning his ability to anchor in the run game and move the pocket with his pass-rush chops on the inside. In his first season, Pro Football Focus has already awarded him a 75.2 grade, among the top rookies in his position.
For the last one, you may want to look away. Fresh off his new three-year, $28,750,000 contract, Larry Ogunjobi ranks among the bottom of the league. Despite facing a double team around 45% of the time, Ogunjobi has been able to win under 5% of the time.
Never known for his run defense the former Browns and Bengals defensive tackle still leads his group in sacks with two through the team’s first eight games.
With this data, perhaps Adams and Benton are in for more snaps in the coming weeks.
