Whenever you consider the Pittsburgh Steelers, the primary thought is often protection, particularly sacks.
All through Black and Gold’s illustrious historical past, there have been various bag performers like Joe Greene, LC Greenwood, James Harrison, Cameron Heyward, TJ Watt, Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, and extra. None have carried out what former Steelers exterior linebacker Chad Brown did in week six of the 1996 season.
On October 13, Brown was a lone participant in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Three Rivers Stadium, racking up a career-high and franchise-high 4.5 sacks in a 20–10 win over the Bengals.
Whereas sacks did not grow to be a statistic till 1982, Brown is tied for fifth most in NFL historical past for sacks in a single recreation with that 4.5 in opposition to the Bengals that day. Watt almost tied Brown’s franchise document within the ultimate week of the 2021 season in opposition to the Cleveland Browns, recording 4.0 sacks in a win that despatched Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
However in Steelers historical past, Brown is alone for sacks in a recreation.
Sarcastically, Brown’s profession day and franchise greatest efficiency got here after Lloyd misplaced for the season to a knee damage, Greene left for the Carolina Panthers in free company, and the Steelers have been engaged on Jason Gildon reverse Brown as the following franchise-type passer.
The profession efficiency got here at time for Brown and the Black and Gold.
Let’s return in time to 1996.
Dealing with lowly Bengals and quarterback Jeff Blake that day, the Steelers bought off to a fast begin defensively and confirmed Blake he was in for an extended, brutal day behind a troublesome offensive line in Cincinnati.
Within the first third of the sport the Bengals confronted, simply 5 performs away from their first apply, Brown ran by way of Cincinnati operating again Garrison Hearst to get to Blake for his first sack.
It is by no means a good suggestion to place a operating again on a cross rusher, however that is what the Bengals did right here with Brown and Hearst. Blake paid it.
After the sack for a 6-yard loss on third-and-third, the Bengals fended off the ball. It could grow to be a ordinary prevalence that day.
Early within the second quarter, on the Bengals’ third apply of the sport, as a substitute of placing a operating again on safety in opposition to Brown, the Bengals determined to only go away Brown unblocked.
Discuss a simple bag for Brown.
This one went for a 7-yard loss on the primary and 10. Two performs later, Carlos Emmons sacked Blake, forcing one other Bengals punt.
Later within the recreation, early within the third quarter with Pittsburgh holding a 3-0 lead, Brown did every thing he might to assist maintain Pittsburgh’s lead. Brown made his method residence for a 3-yard sack from Blake on a first-and-10, however it did not cease the Bengals’ drive as Cincinnati walked down the sphere.
Have a look at Brown’s energy. Once more, it takes a operating again, however Brown’s bump transfer to get inside and win to sack Blake is so spectacular.
Deep in Pittsburgh territory however on the Steelers 9-yard line, the Bengals stalled as a result of one other sack from Brown, his fourth time for the quarterback, regardless of being credited with 3.5 on the time.
Brown actually felt like a cross thrower at this level and was relentless together with his engine to work by way of blockers and the quarterback.
The sack finally blocked the Bengals’ drive, however kicker Doug Pelfrey was in a position to join on a 19-yard discipline aim to make it a 3-3 recreation.
Pittsburgh responded as quarterback Mike Tomczak discovered backup quarterback Kordell Stewart for a 32-yard landing halfway by way of the third quarter for a 10-3 lead.
With the lead in hand, Pittsburgh’s cross rush ratcheted up the strain.
On the primary and 10 on the Bengals apply that adopted, Gildon recorded a 12-yard sack from Blake, later organising Brown’s ultimate sack of the day.
It was an exquisite factor.
What a rotational transfer from Brown there to beat Bengals left sort out Melvin Tuten. He knocked the ball off Blake’s hand in the course of the sack course of, recording the pressured fumble and setting the franchise document for sacks in a single recreation with 4.5.
Even with these spectacular numbers at this level, Brown wasn’t carried out.
On the Bengals’ subsequent apply, Brown picked Blake for good measure, serving to arrange a 22-yard discipline aim from Norm Johnson and a 13-3 lead.
The very subsequent apply for Cincinnati, on the primary play from scrimmage, Brown appeared to have recorded his No. 5.5 sack on the day, snatching the ball from Blake whereas operating off the rim. Nonetheless, the officers canceled the play and marked it as an incomplete cross. Had that sack held, Brown can be third all-time in single-game sacks as a substitute of fifth.
Later within the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh put the sport apart, once more due to a sack. Inside linebacker Levon Kirkland sacked Blake for an 8-yard loss, and cornerback Rod Woodson recovered Kirkland’s pressured fumble and ran 42 yards for the landing, giving Pittsburgh a 20-3 lead with lower than eight minutes to go.
Cincinnati lastly scored late on a 3-yard landing cross from Blake to extensive receiver Carl Pickens, however the recreation was out of attain.
That day, the Steelers fired Blake 10 instances, which tied a franchise document — sarcastically in opposition to the Bengals — in 1992. Since then, Pittsburgh has recorded 10 sacks in a recreation on two different events: in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals in 1997 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 — each wins.
