Pittsburgh DT Derrick Harmon Leads All NFL Rookies in One Key Statistic
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 4-3 on the season, keeping their heads above water in the AFC North which is more than the other three teams in the division can currently say.
Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers' offense gets most of the praise (and scorn when things go wrong), but the defense has struggled, giving up over 386 yards per game so far this season.
On Friday, a Steelers rookie defensive tackle was singled out for his impressive statistical achievement, placing him above two AFC players and one NFC player who were taken ahead of him in the 2025 NFL draft.
Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (99) reacts during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Harmon Outranks Grant, Others in Pressure Rankings
Harmon is first in the NFL in QB pressures, ranking ahead of higher draft picks Kenneth Grant, Mason Graham, and Walter Nolen.
Others made the list, but Harmon sits atop of it after seven games so far in the Steel City. He has played in just five of them, making his achievement even more impressive.
The 6-foot-5, 300-plus pound defensive tackle was well schooled at Oregon and has continued to impress with coach Mike Tomlins's Steelers.
His 14 pressures are the most this season among rookies at his position, just ahead of Graham, Elijah Roberts and others.
The Detroit native also has two QB sacks this season.
Steelers Preparing to Face AFC Leading Colts
Coach Shane Steichen's Indianapolis Colts lead the AFC with a 7-1 record this season, coming seemingly out of nowhere to roll to unexpected win after unexpected win.
Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor have combined to form one of the most versatile and devastating backfields in the league while the defense has been just good enough to keep opposing teams at bay.
The Colts are coming off of back-to-back 38-point performances against the Chargers and Titans and show few signs of slowing.
Harmon is coming off of a two tackle performance against the Packers last week and is not on this week's injury report giving Steelers fans hope for another disruptive game.
Dan Campbell’s brutally honest assessment of Lions should scare rest of NFL
The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season. Even after losing both of their coordinators this offseason, Detroit seemingly hasn't lost a step. They come out of their bye week with a 5-2 record, scoring key wins against some of the top contenders in the process.
If the Lions are to be believed, they still aren't playing to their full potential. Head coach Dan Campbell believes that Detroit still has another gear this season. The Lions HC said that they could stand to be better at playing complementary football over the course of the season.
“I really believe we haven't played our best ball yet collectively in all three phases,” Campbell said, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “And that's really what we're trying to get to here is how can we sharpen ourselves. We know it's going to take every phase. Every game's different, and one unit may have to pick up the slack, but we need to start playing complete ball across the board. And just keep improving — like with all these teams that we're in the race with right now. So, that's where we're at.”
The Lions have highlighted four key areas for improvement during their bye week. That includes their third-down efficiency on both sides of the ball. Detroit is ranked 22nd in third-down conversion rate this season with just 37.7%, far below their 47% rate last season. On the other side, they're allowing a similar third-down conversion rate on defense, which is higher than their 32.5% rate last year.
The two other areas that the Lions focused on during the bye week are their red zone defense and Jameson Williams' involvement on offense. While Detroit's defense has been generally solid this season, it's allowing a whopping 63.6% of its opponents' red zone trips to end in a touchdown. On the other hand, Williams has had an up-and-down season thanks in large part to his fluctuating target rate. Detroit's offense is at its best when the threat of Jamo downfield opens up the rest of the offense. Finding ways to get him in space is going to be crucial for this team moving forward.
The Lions open the second half of their season with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at home. Will Detroit apply what they've installed during the bye week in their next games?
