–Cameron Heyward, the captain of the defense, is tired of his teammates not following the instructions their coaches are giving them. Heyward said some players are freelancing within a structured system and that’s one of the reasons the Steelers are among the worst defenses in the league after four games.
“Our defense isn’t about making plays,” Heyward said. “It’s about doing your job. That’s for everyone out there. I don’t give a darn if I never get a sack again. But if everyone else does their job and we get off the field then so be it.
“It’s about believing in the defense. I’m not for big speeches. I look for guys to step up. The kitchen is hot right now and everyone is looking to get out, so we have to get to work and settle it down. Either buy in or don’t get on the field.
–The Steelers have struggled in the running game the past three weeks, and head coach Mike Tomlin said the players must pay more attention to detail.
“There are several reasons why the raw number is what it is,” Tomlin said. “We have to be better there. We’ve been highly penalized and that puts you behind the chains. We need better detail in terms of interior blocking.”
Tomlin, however, did not mention second-year back James Conner as part of the problem. Conner, who is filling in for Le’Veon Bell, was praised by his coach.
“James Conner has been really solid both when the ball in his hands and when it’s not,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin went to say Conner has been impressive as a receiver out of the backfield and as a blocker in pass protection.
–Undrafted free agent linebacker Matthew Thomas is a candidate to get some playing time this week if Vince Williams can’t play. Williams injured his hamstring in the loss to Baltimore. Veteran reserves Tyler Matakevich and L.J. Fort are competing for time there this week as well.
Thomas had some off-field issues, including a couple of suspensions while at Florida State that affected his draft stock, but he impressed the Steelers coaches with his speed and athletic ability in training camp.
“I feel like I’ve been practicing a lot, studying a lot, knowing what I have to do,” Thomas said. “I feel pretty comfortable.”
The Steelers could mix and match their reserves to replace Williams, who usually plays almost the entire game. Thomas and Fort are known for their pass coverage skills while Matakevich is better as a run defender.
