The Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran defensive end Ricardo Mathews to a one-year contract this offseason. Mathews has never been a full-time starter but has become a solid contributor on the teams he has played for.
In 80 career games and 15 starts, Mathews has earned four sacks, two force fumbles, and 94 combined tackles. The former seventh-round draft pick just hopes that adding some depth on the defensive line can go a long way.
Today we will analyze why it was great to get a backup defensive end who has experience and how this should give Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt some more rest this upcoming season.
Solid leg drive; creates sack against Pittsburgh
The week 5 matchup against the San Diego Chargers was one for the ages. Both teams were fighting to gain some momentum and hopefully win some football games. When defensive end Ricardo Mathews was put into action, he showcased some solid attributes.
On the play above, Mathews provided a solid leg drive that allowed him to gain an advantage over offensive lineman David DeCastro. The leg drive caused DeCastro to loose his balance which made Mathews get off the block. He then does a great job at picking his head up to find backup quarterback Michael Vick for a solid sack.
The only thing that is subject and can be addressed with Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell is his technique. As you look at the following plays, Mathews has a tendency to put his head down when he fires off the ball which is not a good thing to do. With the help of a coach going into his 22nd NFL season with the Steelers, Mitchell should be able to properly coach Mathews with his fundamental errors.
Great vision; finds QB gets the sack
Giving up on a play is something a team never wants in an athlete. It doesn't matter what you're playing, you should always play with heart and passion and never give up. Mathews 2014 campaign was by far his best in his entire NFL career. He racked up 1.5 sacks, 2 force fumbles, and earned 21 combined tackles.
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, rookie quarterback Blake Bortles was still learning how to become an NFL caliber quarterback. When Mathews was placed into action, he came off the edge and was just stoned and nullified on his initial charge. After getting past the offensive lineman, he chased Bortles until he forced what seemed to be a fumble at the time. The play was a forward pass but his great vision and never giving up mentality should give Steeler fans hope as they just want a somewhat solid backup to help give Heyward and Tuitt some breathing time in 2016.
Explosive push off the line; results in fumble
Mathews had an excellent explosion off the line to get past the guard. When he was chasing down running back Chris Johnson, it seemed like he saw the football and capitalized by knocking the ball out for a forced fumble.
The play above is really hard to say whether or not he saw the football or was just in the right place at the right time. He was very fortunate to bring down Johnson and provide the force fumble for his team.
Conclusion:
If Mathews has a somewhat solid season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016, there is no doubt they will re-sign him to small contract next offseason. He has the potential to make splash plays and gain some momentum for his team.
The help of defensive line coach John Mitchell will provide Mathews with some better technique and hopefully make him a better overall player for the 2016 NFL season.
The Steelers needed to address the defensive line this offseason to help give some veterans and a third year sensation in Stephon Tuitt some time to breath on the football field. This signing was a great move by Pittsburgh and hopefully Mathews can really shine in the Steel City.