Why Tyson Alualu is this week’s Steelers Z-Factor
The weather is changing in Pittsburgh but one thing stays constant: the Steelers continue to win games.
Wide receiver drama aside, this Pittsburgh team appears to be a true powerhouse in not only the AFC but the entire NFL as a whole. Last week the Steelers handed their inner-division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, a big fat loss at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh remains undefeated in the mess that is the AFC North division.
This Sunday night, Pittsburgh makes the trip to the site of where they won Super Bowl XL, Detroit, Michigan. There the Steelers will go to battle with a Matthew Stafford led Detroit Lions team. The Lions aren’t doing as well as their Week 8 opponent, as they sit at 3-3, and currently 3rd in the NFC North division.
A win for this Detroit team would be huge, in an effort to keep their season alive. But a win for the Steelers could mean a lot too. If Pittsburgh wins, they advance to 6-2 heading into the bye week and will have a two-game lead on their next closest foe in the AFC North, Baltimore, who currently has a 4-4 record.
After the bye week, the Steelers also hope to get defensive end Stephon Tuitt back in action. The key piece to Pittsburgh defense has already been ruled out for this game, and defensive coordinator Keith Butler has said that the team “hopes” to get Tuitt back after the bye.
Which leads me to this week’s Z-Factor, a new guy in town and Tuitt’s backup, Tyson Alualu.
The former 10th overall pick from the 2010 draft was added to the Pittsburgh Steelers roster this past offseason. Right away I was a fan of the move. Over the past few seasons, Pittsburgh has been searching for a player just like Alualu. Fans have seen the likes of Cam Thomas, and Riccardo Matthews try to fill the role before, but both men left much to be desired. Matthews was a heck of a lot better than Cam Thomas, but my 14-year-old cousin could have been better than Cam Thomas.
Needless to say, Tyson Alualu has already shown me more than the previous two defensive linemen before him. In seven games played and three starts within that span, Tyson has racked up 20 tackles and got his first sack last game. Off of the stat sheet, Tyson flys to the ball and seemingly never gives up on a play. The big (new) number 94 also shows the ability to collapse the pocket, often driving back whoever is blocking him with an impressive bull rush.
Pittsburgh hasn’t had appropriate depth behind Stephon Tuitt like this since he grew into his starter role, and therefore, Alualu is this week’s Z-Factor.
