5 Steelers who will be critical to Pittsburgh’s success down the stretch

DL Cameron Heyward

Despite Pittsburgh’s dominance on defense, Cameron Heyward has been remarkably quit at times. The former two-time first-team All-Pro shockingly has just 3.0 sacks and 5 tackles for a loss to his name in the first 12 games of the season, and his name hasn’t popped up as often as it has in years past.

Still, this doesn’t mean that Heyward isn’t playing well. The veteran defensive lineman has still managed 24 quarterback pressures this year to go with 12 knockdowns (just one shy of his total from 2019). Additionally, he has been a force against the run as he currently holds a top-five grade among all interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.

However, Heyward can’t afford to be silent down the stretch – especially not after being handed a $65.6 million contract this past offseason. While it’s possible that his best years may be behind him, Heyward is still capable of playing at a very high level, and he needs to be strong down the stretch in order for the Steelers defense to remain top-notch.