Shazier, young secondary are keys to Butler’s defense
DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.
Butler wasn’t happy his defense didn’t get a sack and didn’t get a better pass rush from its four-man rush, especially in the first half. He said he was reluctant to call blitzes in the second half after the Steelers took control of the game even though he knew the Redskins were going to pass. “We didn’t want to give ’em big chunks. We wanted to bleed time out a little bit more.”
Butler also wasn’t happy Cousins passed for 329 yards, mostly on underneath plays. He blamed “the two things that get you beat on defense — missed tackles and mental mistakes. … Young guys, a lot of times if they hesitate, that split second gets them.”
But Butler’s overall assessment of his defense in the first game?
“To beat them like we did, I’ll take it …
“But we have to keep getting better. If we can do that, with the offense that we have, we have a chance to win every game.”
The challenge will be much tougher Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals come to Heinz Field. Andy Dalton is no Ben Roethlisberger, but he has become a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. And A.J. Green? If he’s not Antonio Brown’s equal as a wide receiver, he’s awfully close. He had 12 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown in a win Sunday against the New York Jets.
“He’s so daggone tall and long,” Butler said of Green. “[Dalton] can throw it 30 feet up in the air and he’ll go get it. He’s got tremendous leaping ability and he does a good job focusing on the ball. He’s going to be a problem to deal with.”
Butler figures to be a lot smarter as coordinator Sunday if Ryan Shazier plays. Shazier left the game Monday night early in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after colliding with teammate Lawrence Timmons as they tackled Reed on a pass over the middle. “Friendly fire,” Butler said.
Before the injury, Shazier was the best defensive player on the field. He was “central” — coach Mike Tomlin’s word — to the containment of Reed, a terrific tight end. He forced a fumble, had an interception and broke up two passes.
Shazier was even better when the Steelers beat the Bengals last season in the playoffs. He was the best player on either team. He was credited with 13 tackles, including two for losses. He defended two passes. He forced fumbles by running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill and recovered Bernard’s at the Steelers 25 in the third quarter.
The Bengals thought Shazier should have been penalized for leading with the crown of his helmet on the hit that forced Bernard’s fumble. They had only Hill to blame for his fumble when Shazier stripped the ball loose at the Steelers 20 late in the game when they were trying to protect a 16-15 lead.
“It’s not only his athleticism and speed, it’s his anticipation,” Butler said. “He’s like a quarterback on the field for us, making sure the guys line up in the right places and don’t line up in the wrong places. I’ve always said guys have their prime years between their third and seventh seasons because they still have their full physical skills and their knowledge of the game is better. He has become a real student of the game. He’s done a nice job studying what the guys in back of him are supposed to be doing and what the guys in front are doing. I’d like to see him do a little better job tackling in the open field, but, at the same time, I don’t want to limit his reckless abandon and the way he runs all out to the ball.”
Shazier practiced on a limited basis Thursday. If he can’t go Sunday, he’ll be replaced by Vince Williams or L.J. Fort.
This much we know for sure: The Steelers will line up every play with 11 men.
Butler will make sure of that.