3 Seahawks with soaring stock entering week 6 vs Steelers

Darrell Taylor

Taylor has been by far the best pass rusher the Seahawks have had in 2021 and it isn’t close. We also must remember that Taylor is really doing what has (team-leading 4 sacks – no other player has more than 1, team-leading quarterback hits with 5, team-leading tackles-for-loss with 3) in what is basically his rookie year. Taylor missed all of last year with a knee injury.

Taylor has had a sack in three straight games and in four of five games Seattle has playing 2021. Yet he has only played on 37 percent of defensive snaps. This is yet another sign that defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr., has little idea of what he is doing. Yes, Taylor is a bit of a tween player – is he a linebacker or a defensive end? – but a good DC would find a way to involve Taylor on more snaps and not think of a label.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn’t mobile. He is a big guy and hard to bring down. Even as bad as the Pittsburgh offense has been, the Steelers are 16th in allowing sacks. Likely Pittsburgh will want to run the ball a bunch in week 6 but if the Seahawks can stop the run this will force the Steelers to throw and Seattle must then get pressure.

A huge key to Seattle getting pressure will be Taylor because he has proven that he can supply the kind of pressure worthy of getting a lot more than 37 percent of defensive snaps. Taylor needs to be on the field a lot. If he isn’t and Seattle loses then this is just another glaring sign that a defensive coaching change is needed.