Bud Dupree’s potential return from IR would aid in fixing poor pass rush
PITTSBURGH 鈥� It鈥檚 no secret that the Steelers鈥� defense has been restrained this season from its lack of a pass rush and inability to stop the run at the line of scrimmage.
Even when Cam Heyward was healthy, the Steelers weren鈥檛 getting it done on a consistent basis in either facet. When Heyward went down with a hamstring injury against the Dolphins, it only got worse.
What鈥檚 puzzling about it is that Steelers were actually stopping the run just a few weeks ago, until two consecutive 100-yard rushers, including Jay Ajayi鈥檚 204 rushing yards in Week 6, dropped the defense 12 slots in two weeks to rank 17th to date. Nonetheless, the Steelers are dead last in sacks with eight over seven games. Even that number is misleading, considering half of that total came in one game against the Chiefs in Week 4.
Based on the Steelers鈥� 3-4 scheme dating back to the Bill Cowher era, rushing the passer starts with the outside linebackers, and trickles down to the rest of the defense. If they鈥檙e not getting it done, the rest of the defense usually suffers, too.
Out of the Steelers鈥� outside linebacker rotation, only Anthony Chickillo and Arthur Moats have a sack thus far.
鈥淚 tell them guys all the time, we鈥檙e in Pittsburgh and we play outside linebacker,鈥� OLB coach Joey Porter said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get judged by our production in the sack game. They don鈥檛 care about you having nine or 10 tackles. That鈥檚 all good, but we know what we鈥檙e going to get judged for.鈥�
It鈥檚 a fact that the Steelers鈥� declining run defense could improve from better tackling and effectively shedding blocks, but fixing the pass rush doesn鈥檛 appear to be as simple.
鈥淲e work pass rush every day,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淲e work the bags. We run gains. It is what it is. If I had the answer, I would have fixed it seven weeks ago.鈥�
How can they fix it? Well, activating Bud Dupree would be a good start.
The Steelers placed Dupree on the reserve/injured list on Sept. 4 after the second-year linebacker suffered a groin injury that kept him out for the majority of training camp. His absence undoubtedly weakened the rotation, but the good news is that he should come back fairly soon. The NFL allows for one player to be designated for return to practice after serving at least six weeks on injured reserve, and can play in a game after eight weeks. Dupree will be past that point after the bye, and all indications are shaping up to be not a matter of if Dupree will return, but when.
Dupree said he thinks he鈥檚 ahead of schedule in his recovery process, and feels like he can return if called upon by Mike Tomlin.
鈥淵eah, I can do that definitely,鈥� Dupree said. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready for it, and when it happens, it happens.鈥�
Don鈥檛 expect for it to happen immediately after the bye week. Dupree said on Monday that he still needs 3-4 weeks before he would feel comfortable returning without the possibility of re-aggravating the same injury. That would slate him to return as early as Week 10 against the Cowboys to face one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Before then, however, he鈥檒l need to get up to speed. With the fact that the Steelers haven鈥檛 changed much schematically since his injury, and Dupree has been present in the meeting rooms all season, he鈥檒l be able to hit the ground running from a mentally. But it鈥檚 how quick he can get back into physical condition that will be the determination. Porter said Dupree鈥檚 practice performance will be their gauge into how much he plays 鈥� or when.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just really about him getting out there on the field and doing it,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淗e hasn鈥檛 been doing it in a long time. All that time of training and getting ready for training camp, and then missing all that time. You can鈥檛 just say you鈥檙e going to go out there and pick right up where you left off because it really doesn鈥檛 happen like that.鈥�
Dupree back in the mix at OLB would help balance out the group. He could play alongside Jarvis Jones, currently in the midst of the best of his career, and lighten the load for Harrison, who is averaging 50 percent of the defensive snaps per game at 38 years old. Dupree totaled 32 total tackles and four sacks last season in the regular season and playoffs, and was heading into his second season, where rookies often make a significant jump in production, 20 pounds lighter.
His return would allow the whole group to be more effective, and aid in fixing the ailing pass rush.
鈥淵eah, I can definitely help in that, that鈥檚 my job,鈥� Dupree said. 鈥淕otta go out there and do it, along with the other boys on the team. We鈥檙e all going to go out there and make it happen.鈥�