Steelers’ Number One Preseason Concern: Inside Linebacker

Prior to the injury Ryan Shazier sustained during the 1^st quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 4, 2017, the Steelers’ defense was giving up only 96 yards rushing per game. And in nine of those first 11 games, they gave less than 100 yards on the ground (82% of their games).  From the injury day on, their defense gave up a whopping 133.5 yards rushing per game and kept only one team below the 100 yard-mark.  In other words, opponents managed to rush for less than 100 yards about 17% of the time. Fact is, you can even make a strong argument that losing Shazier harmed their pass defense, given his speed and ability to cover, as the team surrendered approximately 24 more yards per game passing after the injury.  However, one could argue that cornerback Joe Haden’s injury served as a portion for the reason for that statistic as well.

Either way, with Shazier out for this season, the Mack Inside Linebacker is the number one concern heading into the 2018 season.  The guys they are hoping can fill the void are Tyler Matakevich and/or Jon Bostic.

We never saw what former Temple standout Matakevich could do as a starter at the position, as he went down with a shoulder injury in the same Bengals game that Shazier did.  He left after achieving a season high seven tackles, though several came downfield after significant yards were produced.  That said, here’s what we know about him.

First, Matakevich managed 493 career tackles while at Temple.  He was productive enough to garner All-American accolades at a small-time Division 1 football school, which is impressive. He’s simply known as a tough run-stopper, and his strong play on special teams would seem to reinforce that he’s a smart, lunch pail kind of guy.  Really, if we break it down, the problem with Matakevich is kind of simple.

At the Combine he ran the 40 yard dash in 4.81 seconds.  When you compare that to Shazier’s 4.38 time, the issue is evident.

Can Matakevich’s gutsy, lunch pail attitude still land him in the right spot at the right time when playing the run given his speed deficiency?  Also, can he cover NFL running backs and/or tight ends with that kind of speed?

Then there’s Jon Bostic.  First, he accrued some real NFL starting experience with the Colts last season, as he was in on 97 tackles on the year.  Next, his speed is much better than Matakevich’s, but not as good as Shazier’s, as he posted a time of 4.59 in the 40 yard dash.

We’re talking about a solid, though perhaps unspectacular player to date.  And there is an injury history.

In the end, it appears that the Pittsburgh Steelers are clearly not completely sold on either guy.  According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, GM Kevin Colbert recently said “There are guys available (at inside linebacker) and who knows?  Maybe over training camp we won’t be happy, but maybe we will. Let’s look at these guys first.”

In the end, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, indicated that Matakevich held the position down in OTA’s and showed the instincts that had made him a standout at Temple.  Does that mean he will continue to hold the position down?  Not necessarily.  The bottom line is that Matakevich does not have the speed to do some of the things the team would like him to be able to do on pass defense, so if they go with him as the Mack starter then utilizing safeties or Bostic will be the key on obvious passing downs.  But expect Matakevich to keep the starting position for now.  There was a reason that he was able to be as successful as he was in college, and it’s time to see if when healthy he can do some of what made him special for the Owls in the professional ranks.

Keep watching as this story unfolds.  The Steelers season will be significantly impacted by it.  And come back later this week to find out what the Steelers number two training camp/preseason concern is.