What happened to our pass rush?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers say James Harrison’s time will come

Posted by Josh Alper on November 1, 2017, 7:40 AM EDT

Steelers linebacker James Harrison played his most snaps of the season in Week Six against the Chiefs and helped close out the game with a key sack of Alex Smith, but any notion that this was a sign of things to come was quickly snuffed out.

Harrison was back down to seven snaps against the Bengals the next week and didn’t play at all against the Lions last Sunday night despite dressing for the game. Harrison has 29 snaps all season, which outside linebackers coach Joey Porter knows is going to make Harrison “frustrated at times.”

Porter does see a point in the season when Harrison will be able to take out his frustrations on opposing offenses.

“Having him out there covering, that ain’t what he’s doing right now,” Porter said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “That’s not his strong suit. His strong suit is when we get to this cold weather and someone is going to try to come here and run the ball, I can put him in there and [running] isn’t going to happen. We get into the cold and playoff time, I can have him in those tough situations and go rush the quarterback and get a sack because the situation is not too big for him. It’s frustrating right now, but his time will come when we’re going to need him.”

There’s been no reason for the Steelers to deviate from their preseason plan to make Harrison a relief pitcher behind T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. With eight more games and perhaps a playoff run still to come, that could change and Harrison showed against Kansas City that there’s still some gas in the tank.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/11/01/steelers-say-james-harrisons-time-will-come/

[Oviedo]

I know that some guys still worship Harrison but could the explanation be as simple as Watt is really really good and maybe better than the team expected and they don't want to take reps away from him

[feltdizz]

I know that some guys still worship Harrison but could the explanation be as simple as Watt is really really good and maybe better than the team expected and they don't want to take reps away from him

Watt is good but he isn't THAT good at getting pressure and stopping the run IMO.

[NorthCoast]

If you read the details the coaches have made a conscious decision to use Watt because of his ability in coverage, basically suggesting JH has become a one dimensional LB. It makes sense, age waits for no one.

[phillyesq]

I know that some guys still worship Harrison but could the explanation be as simple as Watt is really really good and maybe better than the team expected and they don't want to take reps away from him

They were subbing him out and Chickillo was getting reps. Moats got reps on the other side. Nobody here is saying that Harrison should start or even split time 50/50. When Watt gets a breather, why not give Harrison a few reps. Especially against a tall OT that he can easily get under. And with the bye week coming up.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I know that some guys still worship Harrison but could the explanation be as simple as Watt is really really good and maybe better than the team expected and they don't want to take reps away from him

I love Watt as much as the next guy, but our OLB's combined for zero sacks in a game in which Detroit was missing it's usual starting LT in Taylor Decker and also Decker's replacement in Greg Robinson, plus RT Ricky Wagner was injured during the game, so Detroit was down to OT4 and OT5 at the end of the game. You'd think that Watt, Dupree, Chickillo, and Moats would have gotten Stafford on his back at least once when facing the likes of Brian Mihalik (who we waived after training camp this year) and Dan Skipper (who the Lions waived yesterday). I have to believe that Harrison could have gotten the job done if given even a few snaps out there.

[Oviedo]

Watt is good but he isn't THAT good at getting pressure and stopping the run IMO.

IMO our opinions don't matter...only the coaches opinions do and they seem to have a plan to save JH. As I said in another post weeks ago if he plays one game and ends Brady's season...mission accomplished

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Detroit was down to OT4 and OT5 at the end of the game. You'd think that Watt, Dupree, Chickillo, and Moats would have gotten Stafford on his back at least once when facing the likes of Brian Mihalik (who we waived after training camp this year) and Dan Skipper (who the Lions waived yesterday).

Maybe it is the same thing we always accuse the O of doing. Conventional wisdom is to try to put as much pressure as possible on two green tackles, so let's sit in zone and not rush the passer.

[Captain Lemming]

I know that some guys still worship Harrison but could the explanation be as simple as Watt is really really good and maybe better than the team expected and they don't want to take reps away from him

I know you have for YEARS railed against even signing Harrison. He leads the team in sacks since his return.
Team was in shambles last season defensively until he began playing.

TJ IS the man. Nobody is saying otherwise. When he comes out I dont want to see Chickillo every time over LAST SEASONS sack leader.

[feltdizz]

IMO our opinions don't matter...only the coaches opinions do and they seem to have a plan to save JH. As I said in another post weeks ago if he plays one game and ends Brady's season...mission accomplished

in your opinion our opinions don’t matter?

Ok, I stopped reading.

[Captain Lemming]

They were subbing him out and Chickillo was getting reps. Moats got reps on the other side. Nobody here is saying that Harrison should start or even split time 50/50. When Watt gets a breather, why not give Harrison a few reps. Especially against a tall OT that he can easily get under. And with the bye week coming up.

Allow me to add to your point with this statline. You all can guess when this happened:
Harrison finished with 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits in a dominant showing. Ajayi (clue there) was rendered a non-factor. The same guy who TORE US UP with his career best game when Harrison wasnt playing.

Oh and he had more QB pressures (7) than our opponent had in TOTAL (6) that day.

Is this 2008 MVP James Harrison? NO! Not unless he was playing Ajayis PeeWee team.
That was January OF THIS YEAR people. 2017.

But we got Chickillo and Moats getting snaps over him?

OV save for your irrational desire to put veterans out to pasture, how can you not see this dude still has value on this team?