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Woodley wants to get back to the sack
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, October 3, 2009
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_646207.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 46207.html[/url]
Quarterback pressures are fine if you're into those type of statistics, said Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley.
Woodley, however, knows the more devastating effects that sacks can have on opposing quarterbacks.
"Pressure's all right,'' Woodley said. "But the thing about getting sacks is the team loses yards, putting the quarterback on the ground, maybe losing a fumble, giving our offense a chance to get the ball.
"That's the thing about getting the big sack.''
Woodley should know. He recorded 15 1/2 sacks in his first two seasons, including 11 1/2 sacks in 2008.
He has an NFL-record two sacks in four straight playoff games and has eight career sacks in the postseason.
Entering Sunday night's game against San Diego at Heinz Field, though, Woodley is tied for third on the team with five quarterback pressures but doesn't have a sack.
"I've got to pick that part of my game up,'' he said.
That's been easier said than done for Woodley and his defensive teammates.
Through the first three games, teams are relying on a short passing attack against the Steelers. Opposing quarterbacks are taking shorter drops and getting rid of the ball quicker to avoid sacks.
The result is that, whereas last year the Steelers recorded 51 sacks, averaging just more than three per game, this year they have just five, an average of fewer than two per game.
In 32 third-down passing situations of five yards or more against the Steelers this season -- including 27 passes out of the shotgun -- opposing quarterbacks are 15-of-32 for 132 yards and a touchdown with one sack.
"When we played Tennessee, the Bears and Cincinnati, the quarterback was doing a great job of not holding the ball as long,'' Woodley said. "When a quarterback's not holding the ball, you can't really get that much pressure. So we have to take advantage of the opportunities we do get when he holds the ball longer than three seconds. I don't think we've been doing a good job of that.''
Even Woodley admits the difficulty trying to reach the quarterback in three seconds or less.
"I've never seen a rusher get back there with a three-step drop,'' he said. "When you see teams going with a three-step drop, they're just trying to hit the underneath stuff -- they're not worried about the deep ball.''
Woodley said the way to counter that strategy is for the defense to put teams in passing situations so they have to throw downfield.
"When they hold the ball, we need to take advantage of it and get back chasing the quarterback,'' Woodley said.
Woodley has been an intimidating pass rusher, using his blend of strength and first-step quickness to overpower blockers and create havoc in the backfield.
In last year's divisional playoff game against San Diego, Woodley recorded two sacks for a total of 18 yards in losses.
The Steelers posted four sacks in a 35-24 win against the Chargers that sent them to the AFC Championship game.
"It's real important when you apply pressure to the quarterback,'' Woodley said. "The quarterback gets rattled a little bit and wants to get rid of the ball. It gives your secondary an opportunity to get an interception. We did a good job of that last year and we need to pick it up again this year.''
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, October 3, 2009
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_646207.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 46207.html[/url]
Quarterback pressures are fine if you're into those type of statistics, said Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley.
Woodley, however, knows the more devastating effects that sacks can have on opposing quarterbacks.
"Pressure's all right,'' Woodley said. "But the thing about getting sacks is the team loses yards, putting the quarterback on the ground, maybe losing a fumble, giving our offense a chance to get the ball.
"That's the thing about getting the big sack.''
Woodley should know. He recorded 15 1/2 sacks in his first two seasons, including 11 1/2 sacks in 2008.
He has an NFL-record two sacks in four straight playoff games and has eight career sacks in the postseason.
Entering Sunday night's game against San Diego at Heinz Field, though, Woodley is tied for third on the team with five quarterback pressures but doesn't have a sack.
"I've got to pick that part of my game up,'' he said.
That's been easier said than done for Woodley and his defensive teammates.
Through the first three games, teams are relying on a short passing attack against the Steelers. Opposing quarterbacks are taking shorter drops and getting rid of the ball quicker to avoid sacks.
The result is that, whereas last year the Steelers recorded 51 sacks, averaging just more than three per game, this year they have just five, an average of fewer than two per game.
In 32 third-down passing situations of five yards or more against the Steelers this season -- including 27 passes out of the shotgun -- opposing quarterbacks are 15-of-32 for 132 yards and a touchdown with one sack.
"When we played Tennessee, the Bears and Cincinnati, the quarterback was doing a great job of not holding the ball as long,'' Woodley said. "When a quarterback's not holding the ball, you can't really get that much pressure. So we have to take advantage of the opportunities we do get when he holds the ball longer than three seconds. I don't think we've been doing a good job of that.''
Even Woodley admits the difficulty trying to reach the quarterback in three seconds or less.
"I've never seen a rusher get back there with a three-step drop,'' he said. "When you see teams going with a three-step drop, they're just trying to hit the underneath stuff -- they're not worried about the deep ball.''
Woodley said the way to counter that strategy is for the defense to put teams in passing situations so they have to throw downfield.
"When they hold the ball, we need to take advantage of it and get back chasing the quarterback,'' Woodley said.
Woodley has been an intimidating pass rusher, using his blend of strength and first-step quickness to overpower blockers and create havoc in the backfield.
In last year's divisional playoff game against San Diego, Woodley recorded two sacks for a total of 18 yards in losses.
The Steelers posted four sacks in a 35-24 win against the Chargers that sent them to the AFC Championship game.
"It's real important when you apply pressure to the quarterback,'' Woodley said. "The quarterback gets rattled a little bit and wants to get rid of the ball. It gives your secondary an opportunity to get an interception. We did a good job of that last year and we need to pick it up again this year.''
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