With the extended weekend, it’s another chance to dive into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ special teams performance against the New York Jets. As quality a job as you’ll see from a team, who hit the high notes right after Sunday night’s win. But digging back through the tape always uncovers a little bit more.
Starting with this kickoff. Watch the “stunt” the Steelers run with No. 83 TE Connor Heyward, aligned as R3 here. As the Jets field the ball, he stunts to the right a gap as LB Mark Robinson replaces him to the inside. The Jets can’t pick it up and Heyward is free downfield, making the tackle inside the 25.
With these plays now being treated like a run, coverage units can be creative just like return teams. With space condensed, you can more freely run these types of “games” without the worry about players trying to sync up after running 40 yards downfield. No concern about one guy being faster than the other and trying to stay on the same level after sprinting on the kick. A nice wrinkle to get a free runner who takes advantage and makes the play.
Later in the game. Pittsburgh blocked a kick and nearly came away with another blocked punt. From – guess who – Miles Killebrew. Four-point stance of the right side. Gets 1v1 with the left wing. Swims inside, gets free, and comes inches away from blocking this off Thomas Morstead’s foot.
A great rush by Killebrew acting like a true pass rusher to swim over. Game of inches and had Morestead been a left-footed kicker, he would’ve come away with this one.
Payton Wilson was dominant on kick coverage. New York couldn’t block him. Three clips below to show it. Beating two blocks on the first wide to spill the returner wide and to the sideline. Next one, swiping past, closing the gap as the returner runs right, and finishing with a violent tackle along with RB Jonathan Ward.
And the third, again getting past with ease and forcing the returner to the right, forcing the up-man to account for him. Doesn’t make the tackle but forced two to try and block him and kept the returner to one-half of the field.
Out in space, Wilson is a playmaker. Just needs to work on everything between the tackles.
Finally, as we’ve talked about before, the worst job in football is playing on the field goal protect team. You’re just a crash test dummy and the rush team is the car. There’s no glory in it. Watch No. 94 Dean Lowry get run over by the DL on this Chris Boswell kick.
And that’s far from the worst collision I’ve seen one of these guys take. Still, getting run over, intentionally, and landing on your back isn’t fun.
That’s why it was poetic for Lowry to get his field goal block later in the game. Some justice there. Do the dirty work to protect on field goals, go block one on the other side. Kudos to Lowry.
