The Steelers didn’t have S DeShon Elliott the last time they played the Ravens, and Derrick Henry went off. After the Steelers held Henry to 65 yards in the first meeting, he rushed for 162 in the second. While Elliott’s absence isn’t the sole reason for the disparity, the Steelers are glad to have him back.
And Elliott is glad to be back, once again playing against the team that drafted him. The Steelers safety spent his first four seasons with the Ravens and has long appreciated what the rivalry means. This time, he wants to help write the next chapter in the postseason.
“I’m just happy to be a part of Steelers vs. Ravens football,” Elliott said, via the team’s website. “Playoffs, huge game, round three. It’s not about who I line up in front of. In my head, it’s just nameless, faceless jersey numbers. I’ll hit anybody. I’ll hit a wall. It doesn’t matter to me.”
DeShon Elliott knows, though, that hitting Derrick Henry isn’t unlike hitting a wall. At 30 years old, Henry rushed for 1,921 yards this season on 325 carries, including 16 touchdowns. Over his final three games, he rushed for 447 yards on only 71 carries.
The Steelers have stopped or at least slowed Henry before, but he will be the center of their game plan today, most likely, as the Ravens are without WR Zay Flowers. Elliott and company know that Job 1 is making sure not to let Henry beat you. And to do that, they have to bring a certain type of mentality.
“It’s instilled in you. It’s not something you can learn,” Elliott said when asked about his comment about being ready to hit a wall. “I’ve been doing it for a long time, [since] I was a kid. I don’t know. I’m a little off here and there. I think that’s what it is.”
And that’s exactly what attracted the Steelers to him.
Playing 15 games, DeShon Elliot recorded a career-high 108 tackles for the Steelers this season. That included four tackles for loss, and he also intercepted a pass and forced two fumbles. Along with six passes defensed, he also recovered three fumbles.
Elliott, most importantly, has been an exceptionally good tackler all season, with hardly any demerits. Speaking personally, he has been a joy to watch, reminding me of watching Ryan Clark cut down runners in the open field. It doesn’t hurt that he shares the Steelers No. 25 jersey, but his play also merits the comparison. Only Cameron Heyward could say what it’s like to play with both.
But Joey Porter Jr. can tell us what it’s like to play with Elliott in the Steelers’ defense.
“DeShon [Elliott] always loves to run through somebody’s face,” he said. “Just to have him back on the squad, playing high, feeling great, that’s just another addition to the puzzle we have back on the team.”
