Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom has been put through the pass-rusher gauntlet this season, and that’s going to continue on Sunday against Pittsburgh, who features TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith at the edge rusher position.
Of the top 25 edge rushers in total pressures accumulated this season, according to PFF, Tom and the Packers offensive line has faced six of them already, and that total will be at eight by Sunday afternoon.
1. Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas)
3. Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit)
9. TJ Watt (Pittsburgh)
14. Cameron Jordan (New Orleans)
14. Alex Highsmith (Pittsburgh)
17. Carl Granderson (New Orleans)
19. Danielle Hunter (Minnsota)
23. Byron Young (Los Angeles)
“He’s had a really good streak of challenges,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich of the pass rushers Tom has faced, “and I think he’s done an awesome job. He had a good challenge versus Maxx Crosby. Obviously, this week, TJ Watt. That’s going to be a big one for him.
“But I just like how he’s handled himself. A guy that prepares in the right way every week. Plays with the right attitude, the right mentality, and he’s a pro. You can see him just keep getting better and better as the season goes on. All of these games are so useful for him, just in terms of building that confidence and just going out there and having the belief in yourself that you can play against anybody.”
Tom has allowed the most pressures on the team this season with 17, which, in part, reflects the level of competition that he’s gone up against. It hasn’t always been smooth, and it’s not going to be when facing the game’s top pass rushers as often as Tom has. However, he’s also been the Packers’ most consistent offensive lineman this season, and his overall pass-blocking grade from PFF reflects that as the highest on the team, excluding David Bakhtiari.
The Packers had several opportunities over the summer to move Tom to center, where he played over 1,200 career snaps at Wake Forest, or at least increase the level of competition there. However, they chose to keep him at right tackle, a position that is relatively new to Tom and one that is shaping up to be a long-term home for a very versatile player.
Tom’s success this season, whether it be in transitioning from the left side of the line to the right or in holding his own against some of the game’s top pass rushers, begins with his preparation.
Following Thursday’s practice, Tom was sitting at his locker watching film of that day’s practice on his iPad, critiquing and analyzing every move he made. He can’t wait for the post-practice meeting to go through the tape with the rest of the offensive line room, which will take place a short while later. Instead, he wants the tape immediately, and it’s that attention to detail and accountability that is setting him apart.
”In order to be a really good professional player,” said Stenavich, “you can have the coach sit there and tell you what you’re doing wrong and yell at you, try and get you to correct stuff. But if you can watch the film yourself and say, alright, this is what I need to work on. This is what I need to keep doing well. If you can self-control that, those are the guys that I think are going to be elite players.
“A guy that comes to mind is David Bakhtiari. One of the most intellectual players I’ve ever been around. Just with how his technique is, his opponent, and all that. I think that’s rubbed off on some of these guys. Just how in-depth you have to be to study yourself so that, number one, you’re putting yourself in the best position to be successful, and you’re not allowing the opponent to be successful by messing up with some fundamental stuff.”
As we saw on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, success for Jordan Love and the offense as a whole begins with the play of the offensive line. Versus the Rams, Love was pressured on only seven of his 31 dropbacks, and not surprisingly, we saw a more efficient and decisive version of Love, who had improved decision-making as well.
On the other end of that spectrum, when Love is under frequent pressure, which was too often the case during the Packers’ four-game losing streak, he looks rushed, the play doesn’t have time to fully develop, he hasn’t always gone through his progressions, and that results in poor decisions and interceptions.
Along with facing Watt and Highsmith at the edge rusher position, this is a Steelers front that does a good job of generating push from the interior, especially with Cam Heyward back in the mix, and this is a defensive unit that ranks third in blitz rate this season. Not only Tom but the offensive line as a whole will have their hands full. When facing an opponent that’s able to generate pressure as often as the Steelers do – at the sixth-highest rate in football – it affects everything that the offense does, both pre-snap and as the play is unfolding.
”I think it affects a lot,” said Love on Wednesday about facing a stout pass rush. “Offensively, the protection, where we are sliding to, making sure we are getting as many hands-on those guys. Just always knowing where they are at. Knowing how they like to rush. Just watching them throughout the week and what they like to do.
“Like I said, you just have to have a feel for where they are at. TJ’s a great player. Plays with really good effort on every play, and I think their whole defense does a good job of that. Just something we’ve got to be able to match that.”
Having a good game plan for this Steelers’ front is going to be a must. Getting the run game going and utilizing the quick game and tight end chips will be a couple of ways to help take some of the burden off Tom and the offensive line at times. It’s going to be another difficult matchup for Tom, the offensive line, and the offense overall, but what we do know is that Tom will be prepared, and as Love said earlier in the week, “that’s the NFL.”