He might be 36 years old and playing a young man’s position in the NFL, but Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward showed once again in Week 3 why he remains among the elite of the elite.
In the 21-14 win over the New England Patriots on the road in Foxboro, Heyward dominated from start to finish.
The Steelers’ star recorded six tackles, one sack, tipped a pass at the line of scrimmage that led to an interception in the end zone and forced a fumble at the goal line, keeping 14 points off the board in the process.
It wasn’t just the splash plays, either. Heyward couldn’t be blocked by the Patriots. He destroyed rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson on the left side of the offensive line, giving the Steelers’ defense a major lift.Â
For Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman, who appeared on the PFF NFL Show Monday, it’s ridiculous to see Heyward continuing to dominate like he did Sunday.
“Age don’t matter. I know he wants to be paid. Everybody wants to be paid. Cam Heyward’s still got it, man. You could just clearly see the impact plays…He was also fantastic in run defense throughout the game,” Wasserman said of the Steelers’ star defensive lineman, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “I mean, this is the reason the Steelers can still win games is because, if one day it’s T.J. Watt, another day it’s Alex Highsmith. Another day it’s Cam Heyward. Another day it’s Nick Herbig. One day it’s gonna be Derrick Harmon. This defensive line is really the one redeeming quality to this Steelers team right now.
“Cam Heyward to still come outta games at his age as their highest-graded player and the highest-graded player in this game. It’s just ridiculous.”
Heyward found himself under fire coming into the season due to his contract dispute with the Steelers one year after signing a two-year extension. He got off to a slow start in the season opener, but since then, he’s been a dominant force.
Against the Patriots, Heyward graded out at a 92.2 overall, including 90.8 against the run and 84.3 as a pass rusher. He generated four pressures and added two run stops. The Steelers got a nice boost opposite Heyward with the return of rookie Derrick Harmon, but staring down an advantageous matchup, Heyward dominated.
If it wasn’t stopping the run, controlling the line of scrimmage, Heyward was collapsing the pocket on Patriots QB Drake Maye, helping the Steelers generate pressure and force mistakes.
Even at 36 years old, Heyward remains a force, and Sunday was a good reminder of that.
The Steelers’ defense goes as the defensive line goes. Heyward is the key force in that. When he’s at his best, the defensive line can wreck games, similar to how it did Sunday in Foxboro.
There’s no doubt, he’s still got it.
