The Pittsburgh Steelers secured a 34-22 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, but hidden behind the scoreboard was a concerning defensive trend: a nonexistent edge rush. Outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig combined for zero sacks, with Herbig failing to record a single pressure.
While Watt’s minor slump draws quick headlines, the real issue lies in how defensive coordinators are deploying Herbig.
Instead of letting the explosive fourth-year defender set the edge, Pittsburgh’s scheme is actively neutralizing his strengths. Rather than using him off the edge to exploit speed mismatches, the coaching staff is frequently shifting Herbig inside.
On the “North Shore Drive” podcast, Steelers beat writer Ray Fittipaldo highlighted this structural
flaw in the package.
“A lot of times when they are playing three outside linebackers, Nick Herbig is lining up over guards and centers and he's trying to rush from the inside and he just hasn't been successful at it,” Fittipaldo explained. “Clearly Nick Herbig is not as effective as he has been his first three years. And I do think usage is part of that.”
Herbig’s quickness is tailored to bend around perimeter tackles, not bang against 310-pound interior linemen. Asking an edge rusher to win inside deprives the defense of high-impact plays and creates a poor return on investment.
As Fittipaldo noted, “They signed him to that big contract and they're just not getting their money's worth right now.”
Co-host Christopher Carter reinforced the concern, pointing to stark pressure metrics across the board.
“T.J. Watt officially had two pressures. Nick Herbig had zero. Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton, neither of them have a sack this season,” Carter reported.
If Pittsburgh expects to contain top-tier offenses down the stretch, the coaching staff must abandon this inside experiment, fix Herbig’s usage, and let him return to his natural position on the outside.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Why Nick Herbig is failing in his new Steelers role
