The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 33-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was a frustrating game for the team, but the dialing back of snaps for star pass rusher Nick Herbig stands out as a baffling decision.
Herbig played just 29 of 72 defensive snaps, just 40 percent of the team’s snaps, after becoming a star throughout the three and a half game stretch he starred in for Alex Highsmith.
Highsmith returned from a high ankle sprain and Herbig actually outsnapped him against the Cleveland Browns a week ago. This week, however, Herbig’s snaps were drawn back significantly.
This comes after defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Herbig earned the right to play more.
“He’s earned the right to be on the field as much as we can get him on the field,” Austin said. “And so, as we get going in this season, a long season, he’s gonna play a lot of snaps for us and play a lot of football, and it’s my job to find ways to get him on there and keep him on the field. With what he’s done … he’s a splash player. He’s always around the ball. He makes it miserable for offensive tackles. He’s playing well. And so guys that play well get rewarded by playing more.”
If the Steelers want to continue being a great pass rush, Herbig has to be on the field more, and his snap count on Thursday is a coaching indictment.
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