Less comfortable at the ‘nose,’ Steelers’ Keeanu Benton could be back at more natural spot

Make no mistake, Keeanu Benton isn’t in any way “asking off” playing nose tackle.

“I feel like I am where I’m supposed to be,” the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third-year defensive lineman said when asked about his position after Friday’s practice. “Wherever God put me and wherever I can get a helmet at, that is where I’m supposed to be.”

But with the debut of Derrick Harmon possible as soon as this Sunday’s game at the New England Patriots, Benton could be deployed at nose tackle less often. It’s a spot at which Benton seems to been struggling this season.

Harmon, the Steelers’ rookie first-round pick, is listed atop the official depth chart as the starting nose tackle. And after sitting out three weeks of practice because of a knee injury, Harmon returned to practice this week and is officially questionable to play Sunday.

If he does, that could relieve Benton from playing over top of an opposing center as often as he did over the first two games of the season. According to Pro Football Focus, Benton has lined up as the nose for 15 snaps and in the “1 gap” (just outside the center on either side) for another 22 snaps.

That often has made Benton the man literally in the middle at the point of attack of a rushing defense that’s allowed 299 yards over two games, the fifth-worst figure in the NFL. Of the 51 NFL defensive tackles who have played the most snaps this season, Benton grades out as the seventh worst against the run by PFF.

Benton recognizes that the unit in general and he in particular must be better in that area.

“Just by being more stout and more gap-sound as a collective,” Benton said. “And then personally just whipping the block. I feel like I’ve been getting in blocks, being in my gap but just not getting off those blocks and making plays. So I’ve just got to focus on my finishing.”