After two-sack game, expect more of Nick Herbig

As is his nature, Nick Herbig is reluctant to talk about himself.

Even after his first career two-sack game Sunday.

“Not too worried about that,” Herbig said after his big contributions to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home-opener win. “At the end of the day, we got a ‘Dub’ (win).”

What about the possibility of getting elevated to a high-profile, starting-caliber role for the foreseeable future? Would Herbig talk about himself in that context?

“We’re all just playing off each other,” Herbig said. “It’s a team game.”

Good for Herbig and for the rest of us that even if he uses few words when discussing his game, there is no shortage of teammates willing to expound on him effusively.

• OLB Alex Highsmith: “He’s an all-around great player, and he’s only going to get better and better every day. It’s exciting watching him ball.”

• OLB T.J. Watt: “He’s going to do everything that he possibly can to perform. He’s going to ask every question. He’s going to turn over every stone and just bust his tail. I respect the heck out of Nick, and I’m glad that he had the day that he did (Sunday).”

• Coach Mike Tomlin: “This guy wants to be great, but he’s looking at the recipe every day of his life, too. He just does, man. He’s sharp enough to follow guys at his position that are doing it at a high level who have been doing it longer than him, and I think that positions him more than anything to produce what it is you’re looking at.”

• DT Cameron Heyward: “Herbig’s been ready for it. He had a great preseason. With Alex down, I think Herbig’s ready to step up.”

Highsmith went down with a groin injury during Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. And after Highsmith exited, it didn’t take Herbig long to make an impact while filling in for him at right outside linebacker.

How about two snaps?

On the Chargers’ second offensive play following Highsmith leaving the game, Herbig used his speed for a strip-sack of Justin Herbert.

A mere five Los Angeles dropbacks later, Herbig sacked Taylor Heinicke on the first snap of a fourth-quarter drive.

“Not surprised, man,” Watt said of Herbig’s production. “That kid works his tail off.”

Watt — one of the greatest pass rushers of his generation — has served as a mentor to Herbig since their college days at Wisconsin.

“We pretty much do everything together when we are in the facility,” Watt said. “I’ll text him (each day) when I am heading into the facility, (and) we will get to work: me, him and Alex. We work a lot together. It’s never. ‘I wish it was me;’ it’s, ‘I’m happy for him.’ The kid that asks all the right questions. I’m not surprised by the performance. He went out there and played with a lot of swag and confidence.”

A fourth-round pick last season, Herbig immediately stood out during his rookie summer and training camp. Including this August, he has seven sacks in six career preseason games.

Now, among just 244 regular- season defensive snaps (the equivalent of roughly four full games for a starter), Herbig has five sacks.

Per Pro Football Focus, Herbig’s five sacks join nine hurries among a mere 112 career pass rush snaps. In 31 pass rush snaps this season, Herbig’s 25% “win rate” is fifth best among all NFL edge rushers.

“He’s just got great leverage and great speed,” Highsmith said. “His get-off is so good. That strip sack he had, he had just great get-off.

“It starts with his get-off, and he’s able to bend and able to get around the corner very well.”

Highsmith said Monday he was awaiting results of an MRI assessing the severity of the injury to his groin. It sounds as if Herbig will, at very least, start this coming Sunday’s game at the Indianapolis Colts.

Watt, for one, is convinced that the act of making his first NFL regular-season start won’t cause Herbig any jitters.

“That kid has supreme confidence in himself,” Watt said.

Moments later, Watt noted how, as a second-year player, Herbig is subjected to Tomlin’s oft-repeated credo that NFL players make their greatest strides between Years 1 and 2.

“He’s capable of doing it,” Watt said, “and he’s able to apply what he learns to the game field, which is huge.”

At this point of Watt’s answer to a question about Herbig in the aftermath of Sunday’s game, Watt had offered more than 120 words of praise for his protégé.

That’s fine, of course, considering Watt is such a fan of Herbig and that Herbig seems so unwilling to aggrandize himself.

Then again, after the third of seven postgame media queries he had faced Sunday regarded Herbig, even Watt had had enough.

“I’m sick of talking about Herb,” Watt said, laughing. “Let’s stop this now.”