Even when the Pittsburgh Steelers were going through a rough patch in early December, losing three straight games to fall to 7-7 and putting the season on life support, players and coaches always believed.
Now, the Steelers are in the playoffs and preparing to hit the road Sunday in the Wild Card Round and pull off an upset against the AFC East-champion Buffalo Bills.
For Steelers standout defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward, there’s one thing that gives him confidence that the Steelers can not only pull off the upset against the Bills but go on a run in the playoffs: depth.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday ahead of the matchup with the Bills, Heyward stated that the depth and the amount of “hungry dudes” the Steelers have in the locker room has him excited for the moment.
“We got depth. We got a lot of hungry dudes that just relish in this opportunity,” Heyward said when asked why he thinks the team can go on a run. “We can create turnovers. I think on offense we have a great group that’s growing, and we like where we’re trending.”
The Steelers’ depth has been tested all season long, especially on defense, due to injuries. That’s forced players like Mykal Walker, Mark Robinson, Myles Jack, Eric Rowe and more to step up, providing the Steelers with some strong reps after coming up off the practice squad, or off the couch down the stretch.
The depth was tested, but it passed with flying colors, helping the Steelers win three big games before needing outside help from the Tennessee Titans to get into the postseason. Now, the Steelers are in the dance, are battle-tested and are feeling good about themselves.
That’s a dangerous combination, one that Heyward pointed out after the 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the season finale.
“Finding ways to win. Let us be dangerous,” Heyward said via Steelers.com of his playoff aspirations. “We have a formula that’s working right now. Hopefully we can get some guys back in the fold. We’re not gonna discount ourselves. We know we got work to do. And looking forward to it.”
The Steelers, for some, are a dangerous playoff team thanks to their ability to run the football, hit some plays down the field and take the football away defensively. Though it might not look pretty on paper from a depth chart perspective based on the names that are seeing playing time, the Steelers have made it work in the last month and are on a roll.
