{"id":100622,"date":"2022-10-18T12:34:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T12:34:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/steelers-inside-linebackers-save-10-points-with-pass-break-ups-in-win\/"},"modified":"2022-10-18T12:34:58","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T12:34:58","slug":"steelers-inside-linebackers-save-10-points-with-pass-break-ups-in-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/steelers-inside-linebackers-save-10-points-with-pass-break-ups-in-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers inside linebackers save 10 points with pass break-ups in win"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

During a game in which the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary was depleted, some of the biggest pass breakups were made not by defensive backs but by inside linebackers.\n<\/p>\n

Each of the three inside linebackers who played during the Steelers’ 20-18 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday got his hands on a pass that otherwise seemed destined for easy receptions that would have ended up in the end zone.\n<\/p>\n

\u2022 Myles Jack leaped to tip a ball intended for a wide-open Cameron Brate in the first quarter, altering Tom Brady’s pass enough that Brate could not catch it on his way in for what appeared a sure touchdown.\n<\/p>\n

\u2022 Robert Spillane dove in front of Cade Otten to make a diving one-handed deflection<\/a> of a third-quarter pass that, if completed, would have been caught by Otten at the goal line while falling into the end zone.\n<\/p>\n

\u2022 Devin Bush preserved the Steelers’ lead<\/a> with 4 minutes, 45 seconds left in regulation with a bankhanded bat-down of a 2-point conversion pass intended for Chris Godwin in the end zone.\n<\/p>\n

The Jack and Spillane plays turned would-be Bucs touchdowns, ultimately, into field goals. Combined with Bush’s play, that’s 10 points the ILB pass defenses saved.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to be able to make plays all over the field,\u201d Spillane said of the inside linebackers corps, \u201cand I think we did a good job of showing that this weekend.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

The three outside linebackers combined for 18 tackles (13 solo) in the win. Per Pro Football Focus data, none of them had a missed tackle during a game in which Tampa Bay was held to a 2.9-yard per-carry average.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m appreciative of that group,\u201d coach Mike Tomlin said of the inside linebackers. \u201cWe asked a lot of them. We were running thin in the secondary, and so we called on them a lot. We play all three of our inside linebackers in various packages because that’s where our depth was.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cRobert Spillane, I thought was critical (Sunday) in terms of us being able to do things because he played positions other than inside linebacker. In some instances, he was representing a nickel. In some instances, he was representing a down safety. To be able to do that, I’m just appreciative of his intellect and his efforts. \u201d\n<\/p>\n

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at cadamski@triblive.com or via Twitter .<\/p>\n