Our defensive charting now that football is back. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been on the field for 208 snaps through the first three games.
– T.J. Watt leads all Steelers’ defenders with 117 snaps.
– Breakdown of defensive personnel usage.
Nickel: 101 (48.6%)
3-4: 99 (47.6%)
Dime: 7 (3.4%)
Goal Line: 1 (.5%)
– 36 of their 99 base snaps have used their over front. That’s over 36% of the time. You’ll see it a lot against heavy (12/21) personnel.
– Keith Butler has blitzed on 33 of 135 opportunities. That’s 24.4% of the time. Compare it to Butler blitzing 39.7% of the time in the regular season last year.
28 rushes have brought at least five rushers.
– Butler has chosen to stay in base vs 10/11 personnel 31 times of 108 chances. That’s 28.7% of the time.
It’s been less frequent after the opener against the New York Giants, done just over 11% of the time. Still up from the 6% they did it in the 2016 regular season.
– Position by position.
Defensive Line
– Tyson Alualu leads the group with 100 snaps. L.T. Walton close behind with 96.
– Defensive line pressures:
Lavon Hooks: 1
Roy Philon: 1
Javon Hargrave: 1
Stephon Tuitt: 1
Tyson Alualu: 1
Cam Heyward: 1
Daniel McCullers: .5
– Johnny Maxey’s snaps on a steady decline.
Week 1: 26
Week 2: 13
Week 3: 10
Linebacker
Pressures:
Arthur Moats: 5
Anthony Chickillo: 4
Farrington Huguenin: 3
Steven Johnson: 2
James Harrison: 2
L.J. Fort: 2
Tyler Matakevich: 1
Bud Dupree: 1
Vince Willilams: 1
For the OLBs, coverage percentage
Farrington Huguenin: 31.5%
T.J. Watt: 25.6%
Arthur Moats: 24.2%
Anthony Chickillo: 22.4%
– Matt Galambos has out-snapped Keith Kelsey 59 to 22
– Chickillo has put his hand down as a pass rusher 17 times. Comfortable out of a three point stance since he worked as a DE at Miami.
He has 40 snaps on the left side. 35 on the right.
– Moats similar story with his left/right splits. 49 on the left, 52 on the right.
– Ditto Watt. 56 on the left, 61 on the right.
– The two both have bigger resumes but Steven Johnson’s injuries have limited his snap count. 37 for him while L.J. Fort has 84.
Secondary
– Of Butler’s 33 blitzes, a defensive back has been sent on 15 of them.
– New wrinkle to Butler’s scheme. Stand-alone outside corner blitzes. Already run four of them in the preseason. Just two all of last year.
– Target numbers
Cam Sutton: 1/2 8 yards
William Gay: 1/3 11 yards
Coty Sensabaugh: 1/3 10 yards
Artie Burns: 2/3 73 yards
Sean Davis: 1/2 11 yards
Ross Cockrell: 3/6 110 yards
Brandon Dixon: 1/3 14 yards
Jordan Dangerfield: 0/3 0 yards, 2 INTs
Mike Hilton: 0/1 0 yards
– Cockrell and Dixon each have two penalties each. Rest of the secondary has one, and that was Artie Burns after the whistle.
– Artie Burns has only played on the right side. No shadowing but of course, it’s the preseason.
– Jacob Hagen leads the safeties with 88 snaps…Jordan Dangerfield right behind with 87.
