Can we stop the “Keeping Up with the Jones'” with the QB’s in the AFC? Can we stop with the “Mitch can’t go toe-to-toe with Patrick, or Lamar, or Justin, or Joe, or Deshaun…” Can we just watch basketball and shut up until the draft?
Ok, I’m asking for the moon there, but I really am sick of the narrative that you need an elite quarterback to field a successful team in the NFL. I want to push back against that for a minute.
I understand why the NFL uses big-name QB’s as the face of teams, and why they market games to casual fans as if they were heavyweight bouts. For years Steelers/Patriots games were “Brady vs. Roethlisberger: the pretty-boy hero vs. the crooked-nosed heel.”
We’re all painfully aware of who got the better of that exchange more often than not, but in all that time no victory was ever decided by Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady having a fist-fight at the 50 yard line. They were never on the field at the same time, except when they shook hands post-game.
It’s absolutely true that a great quarterback can steal a game or three you had no business winning. Pat Mahomes can put up 50 on you in the first half if you’re not careful, but you don’t fight fire with fire.
I’ve got news for you: he’s human. Last year the Chiefs lost to the Titans 27-3. The Bills, Giants, Packers and Cowboys all held him to 20 points or less. If Ryan Tannehill and Daniel freakin’ Jones can out-gun him, Mitch Trubisky can, too.
The best way to topple a Pat Mahomes-led team is to build a defense suited to slow him and his weapons. These are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Defensive linemen who can control blocks while keeping their eyes in the backfield so they can shed/stuff if he tries any of his malarkey – check.
- Linebackers who can cover with depth; the inside linebacker duo of Devin Bush and Myles Jack is genetically engineered to counter Travis Kelce – check.
- Corners who can run with the Tyreek Hills of the world – check. (Witherspoon, by the way).
- Edge rushers who can contain – check, and check plus.
- Physical run defenders (you see how that Maulet kid can hit?).
I know what you’re thinking: “But Mahomes & Co. walked all over this defense…twice!” Slow down, tough guy. TJ played that first game with cracked ribs and his groin hanging off; when he was healthy in that Wildcard Weekend matchup he created two turnovers. Witherspoon also posted two + performances against him, while Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu and Myles Jack didn’t play in either game.
The Steelers have aggressively plugged a lot of holes around that defensive corps and they now have the potential to be one of the best units the NFL has ever seen. I’ll leave you with one last memory to chew on: Aaron Donald recording a run stuff on 3rd and 1, then getting in Joe Burrow’s face to force an incompletion on 4th and 1.
Defense, my friends, still wins championships.
Steely Cam 