Stopping the run game:
Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant; those are the guys we think of when we talk about the Steelers’ offense. But while they’re as explosive of a passing attack as we have in the league today, DeAngelo Williams is just as critical to their success as anyone.
And what’s funny is that Williams starting in the backfield for Pittsburgh would have been a doomsday scenario just a few months ago. As we witnessed in the playoffs last season, the Steelers offense has been a shell of itself when superstar running back Le’Veon Bell is on the sidelines; yet, they haven’t skipped a beat with Williams in the lineup.
In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, through the Steelers’ last five games, Williams has graded out as the No. 1 running back in the NFL, and it isn’t the least bit surprising; he’s been fantastic, somehow rejuvenating himself in his 10th season.
But what makes Williams so essential to Pittsburgh isn’t just that he gains yards on the ground; it’s that he allows the Steeler receivers to run free in the secondary. For as much respect as Roethlisberger, Brown and Bryant draw on a snap-by-snap basis, no defense can devote too many resources towards covering them because they have to worry about Williams breaking off a 20-yard run on the ground, too.
But in the Broncos, the Steelers will be facing PFF’s No. 1 graded run defense. And if Denver’s front seven can keep Williams in check without bringing an eighth man into the box, they’ll be able to devote more of their resources towards covering Pittsburg’s big-name wideouts.
