Back to the Pittsburgh Steelers Newsfeed

The Nick Herbig Effect And How Pittsburgh’s Mounting Injuries Will Change Its Defense

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, no one is more valuable than T.J. Watt. Heck, when it comes to the Steelers period, no one is more valuable than him. The rare roster where the MVP isn’t the quarterback. As history has shown, without him, the defense shrinks. But Sunday night showed it can take a step back without Nick Herbig, too.

Exiting with a hamstring injury late in the third quarter, the Steelers’ defense shifted after that. While Watt remained on the field, Pittsburgh lacked a threat opposite him. The Cowboys could freely send all their attention to Watt, which they were doing before Herbig left anyway, but without the worry of the ‘1B guy’ beating them.