clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Steelers Film Room: The need for speed

If Steeler Nation can take anything away from Sunday's victory against the New York Jets, it's that the infusion of youth has finally started to pay some dividends.

By Paper Champions
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

I've always had a theory that guys that are unheralded coming out of college are sometimes able to make it in the professional ranks because of their ability to be coached. Some guys just take coaching better than others. Or, some guys just respond better to some coaches as opposed to others. Here's hoping that Vince Williams is one of those guys that is able to flourish under the coaching that he is currently getting.

Williams has shown up in the Steelers Film Room before, but for the wrong reasons. This, however, is a great play. It's a great play because of how he finishes, but even more so because of how he reads the play like a veteran. The Jets are hoping that Williams attacks the line of scrimmage because of the iso read he gets from the running back. If Williams does this, the Jets may have something. But, Williams plays this perfectly.

Also on this play, Ryan Clark does a good job re-establishing contain, and the pursuit by Timmons is great.

Speaking of great pursuit, this next play is a thing of beauty. Be forewarned, if you are at work, try not to let your excitement manifest itself into a high five and/or chest bump toward an unwitting coworker after watching this next play.

Words can't express how much I love this play. First off, kudos to Geno Smith. Great audible by him. But, the play is stalled because of the pursuit of the Steelers defense. Look at Cameron Heyward. He stops immediately when the ball is thrown and sprints, not jogs, to the ball. That right there is a big man who wants to run out of the tunnel at Heinz Field announced as a starter.

Look at how both Shamarko Thomas and Jarvis Jones don't get blocked. Thomas shrugs off the block of a very good left tackle. Jones is able to sprint, stop on a dime to avoid the cut block, and then recover.

And of course, what Timmons does is pro-bowl worthy. This is how you create turnovers. By getting angry people to the ball and finishing plays. Someone ask the Jets offense if this defense is old and slow.

Finally, I chose this last play to point out a few things.

First, the Steelers have some speed at wide receiver. Both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are fast. Just as important, they are quick. Their ability to accelerate in and out of breaks makes them extremely difficult to cover.

However, the real key to this play is Kelvin Beachum. The entire offensive line is trying to sell run, but Beachum cannot. Because of Ben's deep drop and the play action fake, Beachum has to pass set the outside linebacker immediately. Moreover, he has to hold this block for a long time.

The Steelers have tried to run this play many times this year, but Adams could not get this block. But, that is just not a case of Afams being bad. Lamar Woodley is a rich man because of this play. He has gotten a ton of sacks over the years on this play, and so did James Harrison. Kudos to Beachum and this hopefully portends to more good things to come from him.

More from Behind the Steel Curtain:

More From Behind the Steel Curtain