The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a team that can be identified as the walking wounded. They placed S Keanu Neal on IR prior to Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, joining S Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has been on IR since the Jaguars game, as well as LBs Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander, who sustainedseason-ending injuries in consecutive games.
However, Pittsburgh managed to get DL Cameron Heyward back a couple weeks ago for its Thursday night matchup against the Tennessee Titans, marking his return from a groin injury suffered in Week One against the San Francisco 49ers. Since playing 55% of the defensive snaps in his first game back, Heyward has seen his snap percentage steadily rise the last two weeks, playing 59% of the snaps against the Packers and 61% of the snap yesterday against the Browns. Heyward managed to log five total tackles and a tackle for loss against Cleveland, providing Pittsburgh with a presence it desperately needed to stop the run.
The Film
When watching the film, you see Heyward provide the play up front Pittsburgh has needed all season when it comes to stopping the run. Pittsburgh was putrid at stopping opposing rushing attacks with Heyward out of the lineup. Shortly after he went out against San Francisco, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey had a field day against, and the following week Cleveland rushed for 198 yards. Pittsburgh held the Browns to 96 yards rushing on Sunday, the second-lowest output by an opponent this season.
Heyward was a big part of that, having the size and strength to fight off opposing blockers and control gaps and flow with the football to make a play. Watch this rep where Heyward fights pressure on the thirdpdown run to the left. Working across the face of the left tackle to get the stop on RB Jerome Ford before he can get to the corner, Heyward forces Cleveland into a punting situation on 4th and short.
Heyward does a great job holding the point of attack at the line of scrimmage, making sure to not get pushed back against the opposing offensive line as Cleveland attempts to establish a presence on the ground. Watch Heyward defeat the left tackle Geron Christian again on this rep, getting into his chest on the snap then opening0 up Christian like a door to wrap up RB Kareem Hunt in the backfield. The rest of the defense rallies to the ball carrier to secure the tackle for lost yardage on the play.
There were instances on Sunday where Heyward was slow to fight off blocks, being a tad late as a run stopper to get into the gap or fend off the pass blocker to pressure the quarterback. In the play below, we see Heyward not get off his block in time to keep Hunt from reaching the second level of the defense, but Heyward shows great effort in tracking down the runner from behind after he gets off the block. He tackles him from behind to stop Hunt’s promising run.
We see Heyward’s effort in pursuit as a 6-5, 295-pound defensive lineman throughout the contest, including on this slip screen pass to RB Pierre Strong in the flat. Heyward works to stay outside of the blocker to force the runner back inside and keep him from getting to the sideline. Working across the face of LG Joel Bitonio to grab Strong with one arm, he then rips the runner to the ground with his strength as Heyward refuses to let go.
As a pass rusher, we saw Heyward resort to his patented bull rush and long-arm moves against Cleveland, using them to forklift opposing offensive linemen into the pocket to disrupt the pocket. We see the bull rush on display in the clip below as Heyward pushes Bitonio backward with Bitonio eventually stalling the rush. Heyward is unable to fight off the block as QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson scampers from the pocket, nearly picking up the first down on the scramble.
Conclusion
Cameron Heyward was a big reason why Pittsburgh was able to hold the Browns under 100 yards rushing, being listed as a winner by our own Alex Kozora in his winners and losers piece following each game. While Heyward played well against the run, you saw him struggle to do more than push the pocket as a pass rusher. He lacked that juice and ability to finish rushes like we have become accustomed to seeing from the six-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro.
You saw Heyward popping up a lot on the tape, standing nearly completely upright off the snap, taking away some of his burst and power as a pass rusher. You question whether the seasoned veteran is 100% healthy from the sports hernia surgery he underwent a couple of months ago. He looked uncomfortable at times on the field, having been a limited participant as well as missing some time in practice due to his groin suggesting that he still isn’t right from the ailment.
Regardless, Heyward managed to impact the game despite not providing his normal pass rush juice, holding a talented Browns’ rushing attack in check. Given all the injuries Pittsburgh is dealing with on the defensive side of the football, it’s great to see Heyward back helping keep the score down against opposing offenses, something that this team needs right now given the current state of its offense.
