With T.J. Watt’s status unclear for Monday, other have to step up, but Jack Sawyer might have already been more important against Miami. The Dolphins like to run on the perimeter, which stresses the edges. Expecting two edge rushers to hold the point all game—especially with the number of snaps the Steelers typically play—is asking too much.
As you surely are aware, Watt is currently in the hospital dealing with an unspecified lung issue. It doesn’t look promising that he will play against the Dolphins, but the Steelers have Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jack Sawyer. Herbig would start in Watt’s place, but Sawyer might play more than usual in a third-man role.
And that’s because of the style of running team the Dolphins are. Less so than some other running teams the Steelers have faced lately, Miami likes to stretch the field horizontally. Of its 320 total runs, 91 are off left or right end. Another 51 are off left or right tackle. And the Dolphins hit those points, hard. They have six rushing touchdowns off the perimeter out of 11 total. Off right end, where Jack Sawyer might be filling in for Watt, the Dolphins generate 7.4 yards per rush.
The Steelers couldn’t pass on Sawyer when he fell to them in the fourth round. While they view Nick Herbig as a third starter, he simply isn’t that big. He has tools to mitigate that, but as Mike Tomlin says about Darnell Washington, there are weight classes for a reason. And Sawyer has the weight, and the physicality.
“They like to get on the perimeter with their running game, so this is a big game for the outside linebackers setting the edge”, Ray Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan when discussing the Steelers potentially preparing to play the Dolphins without T.J. Watt. “Obviously, Herbig’s gonna start, but Jack Sawyer is a big body they drafted for these types of games against the run”.
On Thursday, DC Teryl Austin admitted that the Steelers have had issues defending runs off the edge. The Bills leaned into that a couple weeks ago, even if they don’t live that style as much as the Dolphins do. James Cook III can get outside, but De’Von Achane is practically in a league of his own.
Despite giving up over 200 yards to the Ravens, the Steelers didn’t fare as bad against the run last week as the stat sheet might suggest. With some outlier runs that came late in the game, the Steelers handled business on a play-to-play basis reasonably well.
But as the Bills showed us, the Steelers have vulnerabilities on the outside against the run. If they can fix their crack-replace issues Buffalo exposed, that could go a long way. If not, they’ll need to ensure they are setting the edge and corralling ball carriers in between the tackles. And If T.J. Watt can’t go, that should mean more playing time for Jack Sawyer.
