So far this season, special teams have been a big X factor for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the last there games alone, the Steelers have blocked three kicks, helping them go 2-1 in that span.
They’ve blocked two field goals and a punt and should have had a blocked extra point against the New York Jets. But a terrible call on what the league office later deemed a legal play was whistled for an infraction, leading to a 2-point conversion for the Jets.
That’s a rather remarkable run for the Steelers under special teams coordinator Danny Smith. And it’s part of the sustained success the Steelers have enjoyed in a phase of the game that has long been prioritized in Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been doing special teams since I got here. I was raised on this. To be a part of this team, you gotta play special teams. But to speak to why it’s been successful, guys take it seriously,” Steelers team captain and star defensive end Cameron Heyward said Thursday, according to video via the Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski on Twitter. “It’s not just punt, punt block, kickoff return or kickoff, you know. It’s field goal, field goal block. Guys are locked in, and we look at it as an opportunity for us to make a splash, keep points off the board.
“When you have guys bought in and you get, results elsewhere, you know, it’s contagious. We gotta keep beating on that and find ways to keep doing it.”
It’s well known that to have a role in Pittsburgh, especially as a young player, you need to cut your teeth on special teams. Seemingly everyone has done it at some point in their career, especially defensively. It’s a rite of passage, in a sense.
It helps that the Steelers a great special teams coordinator in Danny Smith, too, one who can scheme up blocks with the best of them and finds ways to impact games in a major way on special teams. The three blocked kicks in three straight games is rather remarkable to see.
Even at 35 years old and in his 14th NFL season, Heyward remains a fixture on special teams. Through the first seven games, Heyward has played 45 snaps on special teams, good for 25% of the team’ s special teams snaps. He’s played at least 20% of the special teams snaps every season since 2013, which was his first full season as a starter.
Heyward has also seen at least 100 snaps under Smith on special teams unit every year outside of 2016 and last season when he was dealing with injuries.
If a guy like Heyward and his resume is out there on special teams, that resonates with the rest of the team. That leads to buy-in and guys taking it seriously. So far this season, that’s been the case and it’s paying off in a major way, helping the Steelers win games in the process.
