“The irresistible force meeting the immovable object” was a key refrain in 1980’s professional wrestling. While a Week 2 NFL matchup hardly has the gravity of Wrestlemania 3, the mantra does hold in one regard: the Raiders defensive strength vs. the Steelers offensive preference.
That Raiders defensive strength is its relentless pass rush and it will be facing a Steelers offense that prefers to throw quickly, preventing teams from hitting their quarterback. They did it last season, when Ben Roethlisberger was the quickest-to-throw starter in the NFL and they did it again in Week 1 of this season.
Let’s dig into this matchup and see if either team has an advantage, starting with Roethlisberger’s performance in Week 1:
| Category | Stat | NFL Rank |
| Completion Percentage | 56.3 | 33rd |
| Yards Per Attempt | 5.9 | 28th |
| Average Depth of Target | 6.2 | 28th |
| Turnover-Worthy Plays | 2 | 3rd most |
| Big-Time Throws | 0 | Tied for last |
| Time to Throw | 2.25 | 2nd |
| PFF Passing Grade | 38.2 | Last |
There is nothing good in that chart, except for the time to throw. Only Justin Fields was quicker to throw the football, but he only threw two passes. Throwing quick may very well be the correct antidote to a Raider defense that had the NFL’s highest pressure rate.
This Steelers strategy worked well against a Bills team that was 7th in the NFL in PFF’s pressure rate last season and spent a first-round pick on a pass rusher this offseason. The Steelers were able to hold that formidable Bills unit in check. Contrast that success to the Raiders success against the Ravens:
| Category | Steelers Offense | Raiders Defense |
| QB Hurries | 3 allowed | 20 recorded |
| QB Hits | 2 allowed | 5 recorded |
| QB Stats | 1 allowed | 3 recorded |
There’s no question the Raiders pass rush was dominant last week. But that dominance came against the quarterback who held the ball the second longest. In fact, Lamar Jackson held the ball almost a full second longer than Ben Roethlisberger:
| Category | Ben Roethlisberger | Lamar Jackson |
| Time To Throw | 2.25 seconds | 3.14 seconds |
Will Maxx Crosby, Yannick Ngakoue and company be able to repeat their performance against the NFL’s quickest-to-throw starting quarterback? It’s a fascinating question and one that is impossible to predict.
One thing is for certain, however: If the Raiders pass rush emerges victorious, it may be time to consider the Raiders defense the real deal and Maxx Crosby as a potential Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Twitter: @TravisGilkeson
