Steelers Defense Finishes Top-Five in Scoring, Total Yards, and Sacks
Pittsburgh’s defense took a step back last year, primarily due to the absence of T.J. Watt. Even though they lost Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds and are turning over the inside linebacker unit, they project to be improved this year in nearly every facet of the game.
Firstly, they should re-establish themselves as the sack kings of the NFL. 2022 broke the Steelers’ five-year streak of leading the NFL in sacks. But with Watt back to 100% and teaming up with Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, and Markus Golden, the Steelers should get back over the 50+ sack mark and maybe even break 60.
Last season, the Steelers allowed 20.4 points per game, finishing tied for 11th in the NFL. Thanks to a much more favorable schedule this year, Pittsburgh could get that number well below 20. Obviously, their divisional opponents, specifically the Bengals and the Ravens, could give them some trouble. But facing rebuilding teams like the Texans, Colts, Raiders, Titans, and Rams could help keep that number low. For that same reason, the Steelers should also finish pretty high in the standings for total yards allowed.
Darnell Washington Leads All Rookies in Receiving TDs
In a previous article, I argued that Darnell Washington could make a strong case for Rookie of the Year. It’s very rare for tight ends to take home this award, as it’s been 20 years since one has won it. But Washington is uniquely situated to produce where it matters most: the red zone. At 6’6” and 264 pounds, Washington is among the larger tight ends in the entire NFL and one of the most athletic given his size.
Furthermore, he will most likely not draw much coverage attention from opposing defenses. Opponents will most likely be focused on stopping George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, or Diontae Johnson before they worry about Washington. Alternatively, of course, the presence of all these weapons could create a shortage of available targets for Washington.
Additionally, this is not the best class of rookie receivers (or tight ends) for the purposes of competition and comparison to Washington. Although two of those receivers, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison, are exceptionally skilled in other areas, they are not as uniquely situated to score in the red zone on account of their size.
Despite his size, Quentin Johnston is more of an open-field, yards-after-catch threat rather than a contested catch maven. Jaxon Smith-Njigba will definitely be in contention for this award, but it makes sense that players like DK Metcalf and Noah Fant will get more looks there if the Seahawks elect to throw the ball. Dalton Kincaid, another tight end in that rookie class, could be another contender for the crown.
Outside of an outlier like Ja’Marr Chase (14), rookie receivers that lead their class in touchdowns typically score between six and nine times. If nothing else, Washington could definitely lead the rookie tight ends in touchdowns, as the most touchdowns scored by a rookie tight end in the last five years was seven by, of all people, Pat Freiermuth in 2021.