Steelers' Cam Heyward And DeShon Elliott Deliver A Warning To NFL Offensive Lines

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense may bend, but it sure is hard to break. The unit did a solid job against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in the 27-14 win. Anytime your defense holds an offense to 14 or fewer points, it’s hard to complain too much about that collective. The Steelers’ defense stood tall, showing the grit and resilience that has become its trademark, keeping the Browns’ attack in check throughout the contest.

The Steelers got pass rusher Alex Highsmith back for the Week 14 matchup against the Browns, and he made his impact felt right away. His return added another layer of pressure, allowing Pittsburgh to consistently disrupt the Browns' offense. Highsmith’s presence, combined with TJ Watt’s relentless pursuit, made it clear that the Steelers' pass rush is firing on all cylinders.

Mike Tomlin was visibly excited about having his full arsenal of pass rushers at full health. After the win, Steelers team captain Cam Heyward sent a powerful message to the NFL about how dominant that unit is. Heyward’s words echoed through the locker room, sending a clear signal to anyone facing Pittsburgh's defense: they are more than ready to dominate on any given Sunday.

"Having Alex back it just, besides the depth factor, it is another guy who can go for 10 sacks any season," Heyward said. "You have to prepare for TJ, Alex, Nick Herbig and Preston as well. Those resumes speak for themselves. I know those tackles heads are spinning trying to keep up with all of those guys."

Heyward acknowledged that it's likely a nightmare for opposing offensive lines to try and keep up with the dynamic pass-rushing quartet of Nick Herbig, Watt, Highsmith and Preston Smith. 

The pressure they apply is relentless, making life difficult for any quarterback. DeShon Elliott, who has been a key factor in the Steelers' defense ranking among the best in the league, echoed this sentiment after the game. Elliott spoke confidently about the dominance of the Steelers' pass rush, underscoring just how formidable and disruptive it has become for opponents.

"We have so much depth," Elliott said. "Our first-string and second-string guys have a lot of talent. We are just trying to find ways to get everybody on the field. That really confuses offense like they don’t know what to do because they have never played with anybody with this type of talent. We have Highsmith, we have 91, Herb and we have TJ and Cam at freaking 45 years old getting two sacks a game. That is crazy."

For any team to be considered a Super Bowl contender, a dominant defense is a must. While the Steelers' defense occasionally bends, it’s nearly impossible to break, and that resilience has been their defining strength. Although they benefited from a few missed kicks, they still did a solid job limiting the Browns' offense to just 14 points.

Steelers' Defense Must Continue To Improve Down The Stretch

Steelers fans may want to see even more from their defense, but that only speaks to how high the bar has been set. The Steelers’ defense is so good that even a small positive play for the opposition causes concern, which is a testament to their elite status. 

However, this defense still has some faults. The Steelers defense must continue to improve down the stretch. Something they should be able to do with Herbig, Highsmith, Watt and Smith at full health.

With the pass rushers all healthy and the offense clicking, there's a real belief this Steelers team could make a deep run for the Super Bowl. It's exciting to hear both Heyward and Elliott speak about that group of pass rushers.