Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals featured a ton of bad on tape from the Pittsburgh Steelers. But there was at least one bright spot, one that continues to shine this season in the Black and Gold.
That would be rookie defensive lineman Keeanu Benton.
Benton was a dominant force against the Cardinals, displaying his power and quickness time and time again. That said, he did all that in just 24 snaps as the Steelers were in sub-package quite a bit, and also rotated in Armon Watts in base defense, too, aiming to keep guys fresh.
Still, 24 snaps aren’t enough for a guy like Benton, who is getting better and better as the season goes on.
Against the Cardinals, Pro Football Focus graded him at team-high 84.5 defensively, including a 74.3 against the run and a 77.0 as a pass rusher, with Benton recording two pressures and a batted pass at the line in the loss. He did most of his damage out of the slanted nose technique, which is something to monitor with him going forward.
Let’s check the tape on Benton’s day.
One of the first plays of the game, Benton is aligned as that slanted nose, giving him an angle not only on the center, but on the left guard, too.
Good get-off at the snap here, getting himself up the field and into left guard Trystan Colon’s chest, making life difficult for him.
He’s able to penetrate and help blow up the play quickly on the counter, helping slow James Conner down and allowing teammates to arrive to clean it up. Benton’s penetration slows up tight end Trey McBride, who is pulling across the formation as a lead blocker. That allows other Steelers defenders to get downhill.
Good work here from Benton. Run defense is all 11 working together. Benton did his job.
Benton’s quickness as a pass rusher is eye-opening, especially for a guy his size.
Aligned over center here in a true nose guard role, Benton shows he’s rushing to the center’s right at the snap, but then hits him with a pseudo-Euro step, pairing it with a powerful club to knock Arizona center Hjalte Froholdt off balance.
Once he hits the club, Benton is unlocking those hips and getting upfield.
Good rip underneath to continue upfield and then great awareness and hand-eye coordination to get his big paw on the Kyler Murray pass for the bat-down at the line of scrimmage. A very good rep from the rookie.
Benton’s hand usage and power in the run game are what drew Steelers to him coming out of Wisconsin. Remember, Teryl Austin called him a “ready-made” run defender coming out of the Big Ten.
He’s had some issues at times defending the run but is starting to really come on strong in that area of his game.
Just a very smart, aware player. Great job of attacking the down-blocking guard in Will Hernandez, gaining leverage and control quickly, locking out to win the rep. Watch the way he stays square to the line of scrimmage and controls Hernandez with one arm, allowing him to not only plug the hole, but giving himself a chance to shed and make a play.
That is great work in the run game. Teach tape.
Benton was off the field for long stretches between the second quarter and the fourth quarter. He did pop up on the estimated injury report Monday with an oblique issue that kept him limited, so it’s fair to wonder if he was dealing with something in-game. But he had an impressive display of power against the run in the third quarter.
That looks like a young Cameron Heyward.
Insane power from Benton. When he’s working from a slanted nose technique, especially in this game, linemen have no shot. Froholdt was on skates immediately. Benton took the veteran center for a ride right at the snap, getting great extension and leverage at the snap. Exploding into Froholdt’s chest, he runs him right into quarterback Kyler Murray, forcing a fumble.
Unfortunately, the Steelers couldn’t jump on the loose ball, but what a rep from Benton.
That’s the toughest block for a center to make, that reach block on a nose tackle shaded to his outside shoulder. Benton knew it, attacked and won the rep in impressive fashion. I’m sure that rep is playing on a loop in the defensive line room this week.
