Late in the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, just two plays before the game-winning touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Jalen Tolbert, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts made a highlight-reel play.
By now, you’ve seen it. Roberts leaped over the line of scrimmage at the goal line, hit Dallas running back Rico Dowdle in mid-air and forced a fumble. Unfortunately, Prescott was able to jump on the ball, but it was still a remarkable play, one that looked like Roberts sold out entirely for and hoped was a run.
But according to Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz, it was a play Roberts knew was coming due to his film study and instincts. Both allowed him to get in motion before the snap of the football and trigger downhill, putting his body on the line to try and make a play.
During the latest episode of his podcast, Kuntz recalled the play, stating that he has watched it over and over and is still blown away by it — and Roberts overall.
“I know we talked about it briefly, but that dude’s like one of the most fun football players to watch. He’s just a true football player. Like, he’s a middle linebacker. Pulling guards, he’s shortening their necks. Like, he’s right downhill, not shying away from anybody. He does not care. And like that last play…when he jumped over the line and put his facemask right on the ball, it’s crazy. Caused a fumble,” Kuntz said, according to video via the show’s podcast page. “Like bro, I was telling you guys from the tight view on our iPads, like I watched that play, no joke, probably a hundred times. I would just rewind it like, this dude was like triggering, triggering, triggering. Snap, downhill, four- yard dive, boom.
“I think he knew. He studied some sort of film. Like he knew they were kind of running some sort of whatever inside zone or duo right at us. Like [he] knew that they were gonna try to run that in on us.”
Throughout his NFL career, Roberts has always been known as a smart, prepared linebacker, one who is always on top of things and can recall rather quickly in games.
Seems like that was the case on the Dowdle run at the goal line. Roberts didn’t exactly say that during his radio show earlier in the week, instead stating he was prepared to sacrifice his body to make the play.
Sacrifice he did, going full Bobby Boucher/Danny Bateman in an effort to make the stop and force a turnover. It worked, too, up until the point where the Steelers couldn’t jump on the loose ball.
Having that ability to recall things he saw on tape is a skill for Roberts, who has been able to do that throughout his career. It’s a shame the play made didn’t help the Steelers win the game in the end, but it’ll live on for a long, long time in franchise history.
Check out the full episode of The Christian Kuntz Podcast below.
