Breakdown: Benton looks like the real deal, and could feast in Houston

Amidst all the external scrutiny the Steelers' offense has endured in their first three games, initially appearing lifeless and now showing faint signs of improvement, the team stands at 2-1, sharing the top spot in the AFC North with the Ravens. 

Let's be honest. The Steelers wouldn't be where they are without the outstanding performance of their defense. Though marquee names such as T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith have stolen the spotlight, there are unsung heroes deserving of praise.

Even in the absence of stalwart Cam Heyward, rookie Keeanu Benton epitomizes the "next man up" mantra championed by Mike Tomlin.

With the first two editions of our Steelers' Breakdown focusing on the offense, first on Matt Canada's concepts and then on the offensive line's rough start, I feel like this is a good time to shift over to the defensive side of the ball. Sure, I could show you more clips of Watt making offensive tackles look silly. But, I want to focus on Benton, who has displayed promising potential as a dominant presence at the heart of the Steelers' defensive line.

During his career at Wisconsin, Benton wasn't a prototypical nose tackle. He measured 6-4 and weighed 309 pounds at the NFL Combine, and was known more for his pass rushing ability more than eating up space inside against the run. That skill set shined during his Senior Bowl week, and perhaps elevated his draft stock in the process.

Benton's inclusion in the defensive front provides the Steelers with a versatile player who can learn from the likes of Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi. Nevertheless, Heyward's injury has presented Benton with a valuable opportunity, accelerating his chances of securing a more significant role in the defense sooner than expected.

"With that opportunity he's gaining experience and getting better," Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference. "And so, it's reasonable to expect him to get better with reps and it's reasonable to expect him to have that mentality, to see one man's misfortune as an opportunity for growth and development and playmaking and another. And that's what team is about."

For Benton, getting better could mean a number of things. For starters, it's finding a way to take what he did successfully at the college level and translate it to the NFL. Coming into the draft, Benton was known for having strong hands to club blockers and a high motor to win blocks, even when he's initially beaten. During the Senior Bowl, he also displayed eye-popping acceleration off the line, especially in pass rushing reps.

Benton recorded his first career sack this Sunday in the Steelers' 23-18 victory over the Raiders, and the rookie did a phenomenal job in putting all of this together in one very impressive rep:

Benton is quick off the line, and simultaneously makes a nice move to get from the center's right shoulder over to the left shoulder and finishes him off with a deadly swim move -- all of that into one explosive, violent move. Then, Benton accelerates to the backfield and closes in fast on Jimmy Garoppolo for the sack. 

This is an impressive play for any interior defender in the league, especially for a rookie facing a five-year veteran center.

While being teammates with someone of Heyward's caliber, Benton could certainly afford to learn a thing or two from one of the greatest defensive players in franchise history. And, one thing that really stood out to me from watching the film this week is Benton using his long arms to his advantage. Heyward knows a thing or two about that.

Heyward is strong as an ox, and has beaten lineman after lineman with a one-arm shove throughout his career. On Markus Golden's sack of Garoppolo this past Sunday, watch Benton do a phenomenal Heyward impression:

Now, Golden gets the reward on this play by recording the sack. And, he deserves credit for winning his rep. I'm not taking anything away from that.

However, this sack happens because of Benton (and the Raiders sliding protection over to double-team Watt). Benton manhandles the guard with that one-arm shove and drives him back several yards into Garoppolo, giving him nowhere to step up in the pocket. 

In today's NFL, any inside penetration provided by the interior linemen is a major win. Edge rushers are so good nowadays, and the Steelers obviously have one of the best pairs in the league. When Benton does something like this, it gives the quarterback literally nowhere to go -- they can't step up, and if the edge rushers win their reps, they can't roll out.

This play might excite me more than the sack. Benton's clubbing arms and violent swim move are well documented. But, watching him bully someone with one arm? That's just mean. The Steelers need mean up front.

One area Benton still needs a bit more refinement is in his gap integrity in run defense: 

Now, Benton is double-teamed on this play, so there's no expectation for him to blow it up. However, he should make every effort to eat as much space as possible. And, more importantly, he should make every effort to plug his gap. He's lined up in the A gap as a 2i-technique. He should make sure he's never moved off that spot. While he holds that for the first couple seconds of the rep, Benton eventually swims his way out, but to the side away from his gap. By that time, Josh Jacobs is long gone.

As an interior defender, Benton doesn't need to be a home run hitter in run defense. He shouldn't feel like he's only contributing in run defense by racking up TFLs. With the rest of the players the Steelers have up front, all Benton really needs to do is be an immovable object. When he gets double-teamed, he needs to hold his ground long enough to keep the double team intact long enough so one of the linemen doesn't peel off to get to the second level in time, especially when opposing offenses are running duo or inside zone concepts.

Don't get me wrong. The play above is not egregious whatsoever. I just don't want to see Benton default to swimming out of a block away from his gap. Benton will be the most successful in run defense by being a space eater. While he doesn't necessarily have the stature for that (he's not Casey Hampton, after all), his pad level and high motor are two great tools that can help him be more consistent with that part of his game.

Overall, there is a lot on the tape that should have everyone excited about Benton. I saw it while covering the Senior Bowl. Of course, the question at that point is, "Can this guy do it against real NFL linemen in an actual game setting?" So far, he's put it on tape.

Benton's still learning, so there will be ups and downs. But, man, the early reviews sure are promising. And, given the Texans' battered offensive line, there's a prime opportunity to capture more outstanding plays on film. Houston faces the challenge of relying on backup tackles to block Watt and Highsmith. This situation will provide Benton with numerous one-on-one pass-rushing opportunities, particularly against the likes of Kendrick Green. We've all seen that tape before.

As impressive as Benton's tape was against the Raiders, it could be even better on Sunday in Houston.