Typically, when Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are on the field together, they’re in their usual spots.
Watt rushing against the right side of the opponent’s offense with Highsmith on the left side. Teams know where they’re going to be, and they’re able to adjust accordingly.
Not that those adjustments always work out, but teams have a general understanding of where the two game-wrecking pass rushers are going to be pre-snap. It’s not often that they change sides to throw offenses for a loop, but when they do it is rather effective.
That was the case in the third quarter Monday night against the New York Giants, and it led to a sack.
Highsmith lined up on the left side and Watt on the right. It confused the Giants and led to a Highsmith sack. After the Steelers’ 28-16 win, Highsmith stated that changing sides and giving offenses a different look is something that the Steelers are working on with the two.
“Yeah, I mean, yeah, we’re trying it out,” Highsmith told reporters when asked about changing sides, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “Just to get some of those chips off of T.J. But I think we just both gotta work on our rushes from the other side in doing that.
“But I think it was effective ’cause it threw ’em off a little bit and so it’s something we just gotta keep working on.”
The changing of sides one snap after Highsmith beat left tackle Chris Hubbard with an inside spin move, forcing Giants quarterback Daniel Jones out of the pocket to the waiting Watt for a sack definitely threw the Giants off.
Ironically, it led to a Highsmith sack, which forced a punt from the Giants.
Here’s the play.
As you can see, the ESPN broadcast from Joe Buck and Troy Aikman circled Watt rushing from the other side, matched up against Hubbard for the Giants. Highsmith was at the top of the screen against right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
Watt’s pressure around the corner forced Jones to step up in the pocket, where he eventually ran right into Highsmith for the sack.
It was a great call by the Steelers to have the two pass rushers flip sides and give a different look, and it paid off in a major way.
Hopefully there is more of that in the future.
