Steelers might not be Blitzburgh anymore
The Steelers only blitzed Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins three times in Monday’s 38-16 victory. The unusual strategy gave Cousins ample time to throw but the Steelers’ pass coverage was up to the task.
Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward, shown forcing a fumble by Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron in a 2016 playoff game, criticized his play and that of the defensive front in Pittsburgh’s season-opening win at Washington.
PITTSBURGH – Typically, in the aftermath of a victory, there are plenty of smiles, laughs and good feelings to be had in a locker room.
That was not the case for Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward Monday night in Washington, following a 38-16 season-opening victory.
Heyward had a far different view of things.
“It sucks. The pass rush sucked,” said Heyward. “I’ve got to get to the quarterback.
“Our DBs and linebackers covered their tails off. We’ve got to be better up front. We’ve got to get to the quarterback, especially since we’re going up against Andy Dalton and that offense. Our defensive line and our front have to be better.”
The Steelers went out of character in the win over the Redskins, sending more than four pass rushers at Kirk Cousins just three times in the game, choosing instead to drop more players into coverage.
The plan worked as the Redskins scored just one touchdown and 16 points, a total the Steelers held just five opponents under in 2015. Well, three if you throw out two games against the hapless Browns.
As Heyward noted, just because the Steelers aren’t blitzing doesn’t mean they can’t also pressure the quarterback.
But Blitzburgh? That might be a thing of the past.
“We don’t need to blitz,” Heyward said. “I think we like blitzing sometimes, but if you can sit back and get a four-man rush and dominate, why blitz? I just have that kind of confidence. We can do that week in and week out. We’ve just got to put it on film. I don’t know if it was getting the kinks out or getting the rust off, but we’ve got to have an explosion this week.”
This week will bring Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) to Heinz Field for the fourth meeting between the two AFC North rivals in the past 12 months.
After failing to win one-on-one matchups against the Redskins to get to Cousins, Heyward and company want to change that this week to, in his words, “put Andy on his behind.”
For Heyward, who led the Steelers in sacks in each of the past two seasons, it starts with him.
“To get to where we want to get to, I’ve got to be a lot better,” said Heyward, who played against the Redskins despite suffering a high ankle sprain two weeks ago in a preseason game at New Orleans.
Dalton was sacked a career-high seven times in Cincinnati’s win last Sunday at New York, with a lot of that pressure coming through the middle of the line. Former Steelers nose tackle Steve McLendon, who signed as a free agent with the Jets, had two of those sacks.
The Bengals chalked that up to playing in their first game under new offensive coordinator Ken Zampese after Hue Jackson took the head coaching job in Cleveland.
“We were able to adjust on the sidelines,” said Dalton. “That’s what you have to do during games. It’s not always going to happen exactly how you think it’s going to.”
That was certainly the case for the Steelers up front, where Heyward and fellow defensive end Stephon Tuitt combine with promising rookie Javon Hargrave to form three quarters of the pass rush.
Defensive coordinator Keith Butler said throughout the summer he didn’t want to blitz as much this year. He wanted to try to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks with just four men and drop the rest into coverage.
Few believed that would be the case.
But blitzing just three times on 43 pass attempts against the Redskins, even if it was just one game, shows it just might be – if the results hold up.
“I agree with Cam,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “We have to create more disruption. We have to get after the quarterback more, particularly when we’re ahead. Sometimes, game circumstances provide opportunities and that game circumstance should have provided more opportunities for production in that area. We didn’t get it, so we’ll go back to work.”
Odds and end zones
Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams was named AFC Offensive Player of the week for his efforts against the Redskins. Williams, the NFL’s leading rusher, had 143 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and added 28 yards receiving on six catches. … Wide receiver Markus Wheaton (shoulder) and center Cody Wallace (knee) returned to practice Wednesday for the Steelers. Linebacker Ryan Shazier (knee), fullback Roosevelt Nix (back), corner Senquez Golson (foot) and Williams (coach’s decision) did not practice. … Elias Sports Bureau changed a fumble recovery by Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter of the game against the Redskins to a fumble recovery by guard David DeCastro.