PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin put a lot of the run stopping by the defense on Monday on the defensive line. Defensive lineman and captain Cam Heyward would agree and expound.
"I think communication was big," Heyward said Wednesday. "Especially when you have a lot of new guys. If they can communicate their problems, what they need to see. What they are looking for. Then it's up to our older guys getting guys lined up and understand if we get 11 guys on the same page we are a much better team."
They will try and carry that momentum over facing the run-first Baltimore Ravens on the road on Sunday. Hurt by the loss of Lamar Jackson, while missing four and a half games, Jackson still has 767 yards rushing. Whether Jackson makes a miraculous comeback or Tyler Huntley is the QB (222 yards rushing and a 6.3 average), Baltimore will be tough to stop.
"It's not easy," Heyward said. "When they run the ball with the quarterback it becomes 11 on 11. It takes a lot of guys getting to the ball. We just got to make sure we have a solid game plan. It doesn't take a lot of exotic stuff, it comes down to just being simple and executing at a high level."
TJ Watt
Steelers players and coaches asked if they are surprised by the stats from TJ Watt, especially missing two games, not one has said they are. That includes Heyward who says it starts with Watt from February to July.
"I understand what he does in the offseason," Heyward said. "This guy is locked in no matter what the circumstances are. He's a game-changer. He's a game-wrecker. The sacks are one thing the turnovers are another. We've needed every bit of it."
"Not a lot of guys can say they got a chance to break the record. He puts on a clinic of not just how to get a sack, but to get a turnover."
Heyward said Watt is rewarded because of the work he puts in, especially in the meeting rooms, that makes these records attainable.
"I think it's the individual stuff, but I think it's the classroom stuff," Heyward said. "The way he breaks down tape. The way he is looking for little things-how they do hard counts, what is their lingo. He's big at when the time clock counts down and able to jump the count."
"Then you look at how violently he plays with his hands. It's pretty awesome."
Ben Roethlisberger
Heyward said a pair of things stand out to him about Ben Roethlisberger. First is his toughness.
"He's been beat up and I don't know if a lot of other quarterbacks could do it," Heyward said. "You tend to see a lot of other quarterbacks slide or take knees. I haven't seen Ben do a lot of that and I don't know if he doesn't want to get hurt doing it. Ben is a warrior."
The other factor is a word that Heyward made up, his 'clutchness'.
"As long as I've been here they've said if the game is close, Ben can win that game," Heyward said. "We have been very lucky to have a quarterback that always gives us a chance."
Chief Award
Steelers media gives out an award for the player who best epitomizes cooperation with the media. It's named after Steelers founder Art Rooney and called the Chief Award. Heyward won it for the third time this year.
Heyward said it's nothing special as to how he treats reporters, he says he appreciates we have a job to do and tries to be honest.
"I was raised a certain way, to give people respect," Heyward said. "Going to Ohio State, they helped prepare me for dealing with the media. Not only dealing with the media, but creating relationships and being able to talk open. I understand I have a platform and you can use it for good or bad."
