When an offensive line prepares each week they take into account which pass rushers they'll face and how to counter them. So when teams prepare for the Steelers in 2019 they'll have to look at Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt as the mauling defensive linemen along with T.J. Watt as the emerging edge rushing star and Bud Dupree as a fast athlete off the ball.
Not to be lost in the shuffle is Javon Hargrave, who had a career high 6.5 sacks in 2018 and is another rising star for the defense. He's still only 26 and causing problems for protection packages.
I wrote in October about how both Tuitt and Heyward were the battering rams of the defense who attract double teams but still dominate their gaps. That theme continued throughout 2018 and led to the Steelers leading the NFL in sacks for a second consecutive year.
Offensive lines typically have five or six pass protectors to account for the average four or five pass rushers. That leaves one or two chances to double team different pass rushers. Typically that was either Heyward or Tuitt because of their strength up the middle.
But rarely is that attention ever given to Hargrave. Tuitt and Heyward are huge behemoths who overpower guards and centers to dominate A-gap and B-gap. Hargrave is the smaller and quicker defensive tackle, which contrasts with their style of play. If offensive linemen are getting used to getting beat up and working to be heavy handed to counter Tuitt and Heyward, they have to drastically change their style to counter Hargrave.
Watch how he beats Elijah Wilkinson with a quick step to the inside, only to work to B-gap and submarine his way to Case Keenum:
Hargrave's trick is how quickly he builds momentum with his footwork off the snap. While linemen are dropping back into their traditional pass protection, they often try to lock onto Hargrave with their hands as quickly as possible. That's typically how a guard wants to engage with a bigger interior pass rusher, but Hargrave's style plays well against that.
Watch how he beats Chris Reed against the Jaguars. He does the same stunted step to the inside only to work around Reed to get to Blake Bortles. The trick here is because of his quick movement, he never gives Reed a clear shot at his chest. By the time Reed is in the third step of his drop, Hargrave has already crossed his face with a club-to-swim move to clear Reeds' hands:
That combination of quickness and technique makes for a great balance with Tuitt and Heyward. Dale Lolley wrote about how the Steelers' lines on both sides of the ball are stacked with talent, and Hargave remains among one of the most overlooked players but is still very important.
Entering a contract year, Hargrave will be looking to boost his stats beyond his 6.5 sacks from last season. If he does — and if the rest of the defensive line delivers at the levels they have been the past two seasons — they could be the best pass rushing 3-4 defensive line the Steelers have had.
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