The last few times the Pittsburgh Steelers have made the playoffs, they’ve barely skated in. Sometimes, their fate wasn’t even in their own hands. They needed help from other teams in order to make the postseason. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith, whose unit continues to make huge plays, does not want that to happen again this year.
“My mission is to get in this hunt on our own,” Smith said Wednesday via the team’s website. “I tell the players consistently, two years ago, we needed help to get in the playoffs, and we didn’t get it. Last year, we needed help, and we got it. How about we help ourselves? That has been my whole mission this year.”
That’s a fantastic message from Smith. It’s the kind of mindset the Steelers need to have. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, being one-and-done too many times. They know they haven’t lived up to the standard. For years, they were a perennial Super Bowl contender. Recently, people have questioned if they can even make the playoffs.
With Russell Wilson under center, they’ve looked like a contender. It’s only been two games, but their offense looks much improved. Their defense is still arguably the best in the NFL, too. Even when their offense does sputter, Smith’s unit has been there to support them.
Look at their most recent game. In Week 8, they couldn’t finish in the red zone to save their lives. The Steelers had to keep settling for field goals, and the game was tight as a result. Then, the punt return unit sprung Calvin Austin III for the game’s first touchdown. It brought the Steelers to life, leading them to victory.
The Steelers’ special teams have constantly made plays like that this year. Whether it’s blocked punts, blocked field goals, or punt return touchdowns, they’ve shown up in big moments. To win a football game, all three phases are needed, and special teams are often forgotten about. This year, Smith is proving just how important they can be.
Hopefully, the Steelers’ offense can start finishing better, but if it doesn’t, it sounds like Smith will have his unit ready to make plays. If the Steelers can start to really fire on all cylinders, they should be able to control their playoff destiny easily. At the moment, they’re one of the best teams in the NFL. They just need to keep their foot on the gas. Coaches like Smith must make it easy to remember that, though.
