The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into their bye week with a 6-2 record, sitting at the top of the AFC North. They’ll use this break to rest their players before a tough stretch of games against divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the hot Washington Commanders.
This extra time will also allow the team to focus on improving and getting healthier, particularly by refining some new strategies that Steelers fans saw in the Week 8 win over the New York Giants.
In that game, the Steelers threw a curveball at the Giants by having TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith switch sides to confuse the offense, and it worked well. Highsmith explained how the idea came about, saying that it was a collaboration between the coaches and the players, including himself and Watt.
“Yeah, I mean, it was kind of both coaches and us,” Highsmith said. “We were kind of working at moving us around, and I think we were effective in throwing the offense off in that way. So, just something we are going to work on and get better at.”
Nick Herbig, another outside linebacker, was asked if he might be used in the same way when he returns from injury. He didn’t want to give too much away but smiled when the question was raised.
“Yeah, I mean I don’t want to give away too much information, but yeah, they did a great job in that last game,” Herbig said.
Both Highsmith and Herbig admitted that switching sides can be challenging since everything they do is opposite, but they are committed to practicing and getting better at it.
The Steelers are hopeful that Herbig will be back after the bye week, which would give their defense a stronger pass rush. Herbig has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts. Before the injury, he had a strong start to the season, with 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
The Steelers want to keep winning and maintain their position at the top of the AFC North. They will rely on their defense, especially in key late-game situations, to make big plays.
The bye week comes at a good time, allowing them to get players like Cam Sutton back from injury and suspension and giving outside linebackers more time to practice switching sides.
Steelers’ New Strategy Could Be Key for the Rest of the Season
The Steelers’ remaining schedule won’t be easy. With six divisional games, as well as matchups against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and the strong Eagles and Commanders teams, they will need all the tricks they can use to keep winning.
Using their talented outside linebackers in new ways is a smart move, as it will give opposing offenses more to worry about. This is a classic example of coach Mike Tomlin using mind games to his advantage.
As the season goes on, it’s likely that Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig will continue to switch sides more often, putting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks and making it harder for offenses to adjust.
