The Pittsburgh Steelers unfortunately had to start this season without first-round pick Derrick Harmon. He suffered a knee injury in the preseason, keeping him out of their first two regular-season games. However, in Week 3, Harmon was finally healthy. He made an instant impact, too, recording his first NFL sack. After the Steelers’ 21-14 win over the New England Patriots, Harmon confirmed that he was on a limited snap count.
“Yes sir,” Harmon told reporters after the game via the KDKA Extra Point Show.
Considering the circumstances, that isn’t too surprising. Mike Tomlin previously said that Harmon would likely rotate at his spot, both because of his injury and his status as a rookie. He ended up playing 35 of a possible 74 snaps, so a little less than half. Harmon still managed to make an impact when he was on the field, looking comfortable in his first shot at NFL action.
Harmon also confirmed that he believes he’ll receive a larger workload in Week 4.
“Most definitely,” he said.
We’ll see how much, if at all, Harmon’s role grows next week. The Steelers have a stable of bodies along their defensive line, including Yahya Black, Daniel Ekuale, and Logan Lee. That should allow them to not throw Harmon into the fire if they don’t want to.
However, based on how their defensive line has performed so far this season, they might not be able to afford to ease Harmon back into action. That unit has gotten punched in the mouth every week. The Steelers showed improvement in Week 3, but they still weren’t perfect.
Harmon was highly touted coming out of college, and he showed why in his first NFL regular-season game. He also revealed that the decision for him to play this week came down to the wire.
“It was a feeling, but it was a last-minute type thing,” he told reporters on if he thought he would play against the Patriots. “I was happy I got out there with the guys and competed.”
That makes Harmon’s solid debut even more impressive. He should receive more opportunities in Week 4, when the Steelers travel to Ireland to face the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings will be missing their starting quarterback, so the Steelers’ defense should be in a good position to make plays. Hopefully, Harmon can continue building on his Week 3 performance.
