Steelers Will Attack Duane Brown

JJ CooperPosted Sep 5th 2008 12:46PM by JJ Cooper (author feed)
Filed under: Steelers, Texans, AFC North
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As we get ready for the Steelers-Texans game, here's three things that excite me about the matchup as a Steelers fan.

1. Duane Brown is a rookie left tackle.

Brown has looked very good, better than expected, during the preseason, but Dick LeBeau has to be spending late nights figuring out all kind of exotic blitzes to confuse the new left tackle.

James Harrison coming off the edge should be enough to give Brown all kinds of problems, but Brown won't get the chance to simply sprint to the edge snap after snap. He'll have to hesitate for just a half a step because he won't know if Harrison is blitzing or if he's going to drop into coverage, or if he's going to fake a blitz to the outside, then drop, while another linebacker or a defensive lineman comes looping in on Brown's inside shoulder.

If Brown can handle all the different looks he'll get this week, it's a good sign that he'll be all right all year, but as a Steeler fan, it's hard not to like this matchup.


2. Pittsburgh should be able to get Houston into situations they like.

The first goal of every game for the Steelers defense is to eliminate the opponent's running game. If the Steelers can force their opponent to become one-dimensional, all of a sudden LeBeau's blitz packages (almost all of which are based out of the nickel and dime packages) are all available. But if it's second and five and third and three, the Steelers are force to stay in their 3-4 defense, which makes their blitz package much more conventional.

The good news for the Steelers is that it's hard to see a gimpy Ahman Green and Steve Slaton running over the Steelers' front seven, which means it will be a battle between Matt Schaub and the Steelers pass defense.

3. Santonio Holmes should have a big day.

Whether they try to put Fred Bennett or Jacque Reeves on him, Holmes' should have few problems getting open. If the Steelers offensive line can give Ben Roethlisberger enough time to throw, Holmes will take the first step towards his first Pro Bowl appearance.