PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He didn’t really try to dodge the question, after practicing full on Thursday and then practicing Friday, Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig said he feels good and ‘is ready to go’ against Seattle Sunday.
Herbig missed the first game of the season due to a hamstring injury as is a piece they like to rotate in. With Herbig out TJ Watt played 87% of the snaps and Alex Highsmith 89% with rookie Jack Sawyer getting his first 15 NFL snaps on defense to go with 23 on special teams.
“It will be really nice to have him back just to be able to take a little bit more plays off if I can here and there, to be able to make more impact,” Watt said.
Watt said he’s seen him play with more confidence, had a good training camp and now can just let it loose.
“I think just time developing,” Herbig said. “It’s my third year. You really have no choice but to get better. It’s a business. It’s a man’s league. It’s a grown man’s game. You really got no choice, you got to level up in all areas of your game.”
He has 8.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, 14 quarterback hits and 49 tackles in just five career starts, 30 games, where he played about 25% of the defensive snaps. The former Wisconsin linebacker is looking for more opportunities to show those numbers can only grow.
Herbig said he’s also enjoyed being a big brother for Sawyer. He knows that feels of being the new guy coming from college where you are the man, plus the demands of kick units. Herbig wants to be there for him, like Watt was for him.
The 23-year-old said Sunday, as a team, you don’t have to over analyze anything, it comes down to playing football the way we want to play.