PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was a talk from Mike Tomlin and some adjustments as the Steelers defense clamped down in the second half moving to 3-0 with a 20-10 win over the Chargers.
After 173 yards in the first half, LA finished with 168 total yards (fewest allowed since 2011), meaning they were held to negative five yards in the second half. Tomlin challenged the team at halftime to be better, to be the defense people remember in the second half.
“Stopping the run, being able to get in one-dimensional spots, get after the quarterback,” said TJ Watt. “Just having some fun.”
“We just shortened up the play-calling,” said linebacker Patrick Queen, who led the team with eight tackles. “We just went to what we do best and just played our game. When we do stuff like that and the people we got up front, on a four-man rush and get after them. We just sit there and cover behind them. I think we can be a nasty combination.”
It helped that Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert missed the fourth quarter with an ankle injury that limited him all week. But the LA running backs were healthy and played the entire game. After rushing for 39 yards in the first half including a long of 13, JK Dobbins rushed for five yards on four carries in the second half.
“I thought we really sat down on the run in the second half,” said defensive captain Cam Heyward. “We got them out of their rhythm passing. Once we took care of that we could really pin our ears.”
“There are a lot of things we can take from this game to make us successful.”
“They just wanted to be the best defense on the field,” Tomlin said. “They respond to those things and take those challenges very personally, and they played like it.”
“This week was two trains on the track, two top defenses coming in,” said defensive captain TJ Watt. “We knew they love to run the ball, we love stopping the run. Haven’t looked at the film yet, but it seems like we out-performed (them) today.”
Watt a few times mentioned the team’s defensive depth, 16 different players made a tackle on Sunday, 13 of those with multiple tackles. The Steelers finished with five sacks, seven tackles for loss, seven quarterback hurries.
“It’s huge, to be able to rotate, to be able to be fresh,” Watt said. “When you have that rotation up front and in the back end, it’s just, anybody can make a play on this defense, and everybody is training and preparing like they’re the starter, and that’s why you see so many guys out there making plays.”
“We are a pack of hyenas,” Heyward said. “It’s like dangle a little bit of meat, everybody wants a piece. Everyone is hungry to get the sack first.”
Outside linebacker Nick Herbig had a pair of those sacks coming in for injured OLB Alex Highsmith, who left with a groin issue. He could miss some time and now after explosive preseasons the last two years, Herbig could see significant action.
“It didn’t surprise me, that kid works his tail off,” Watt said of Herbig. “We pretty much do everything together when we are in the facility. I’ll text him tomorrow when I am heading into the (practice) facility, we will get to work.”
“The kid has supreme confidence in himself. I respect the heck out of it. He’s going to do everything that he possibly can to perform. He’s going to ask every question. He’s going to turn over every stone and just his tail. I respect the heck out of Nick, and I’m glad that he had the day that he did today.”
“You know, this guy wants to be great, but he’s looking at the recipe every day of his life, too,” Tomlin said of Herbig. “He’s sharp enough to follow guys at his position that are doing it at a high level who have been doing it longer than him, and I think that positions him more than anything to produce what it is you’re looking at.”
“I know we have the best edge rusher in the whole entire world in TJ Watt,” Herbig said. “He’s the best in the business, man. At the end of the day, he’s going to do what he does. We play off each other. We feel off that energy. It’s a team game.”
That team is 3-0 with a defense that has allowed an NFL-best 26 points.