5 reasons the Steelers will win the AFC North
2. Pittsburgh’s pass rush is ferocious
Any defense that wants to stop the complex passing attacks currently employed by most NFL franchises must have the ability to rush the passer effectively. Fortunately for the Steelers, they employ a stable of players who can terrorize opposing quarterbacks.
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The trio of T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree and Cameron Heyward will lead the way for Pittsburgh once again. The group combined for 35 sacks in 2019. The ability of all three guys to produce pressure makes it impossible for opposing offenses to know where the pass rush is coming from.
In particular, Pittsburgh’s ability to produce turnovers with their front seven should give them an advantage in the race to win the division. No defense in the league can shut down elite offenses on a regular basis. The ability to produce big plays on defense is now more important than ever before.
The scary thing for opponents is that it’s possible the Steelers could be even better up front in 2020. If guys like Stephon Tuitt and Alex Highsmith can find a way to make meaningful sack contributions, it could be a historically productive front seven. The group will pose serious problems for division opponents next year.