Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts. Roberts fills a particular function for his workforce, a task that I imagine each LB room within the NFL wants: the licensed crashout. The linebacker who’s prepared to run by way of a joker’s face so as to get to the ballcarrier. Roberts isn’t precisely essentially the most spectacular in area or in opposition to the move, however he’ll completely mild your ass up like a Christmas tree for those who step into his hole.
He displayed that in full impact within the Steelers’ win in opposition to the Cleveland Browns. Roberts is a menace coming downhill, and Browns heart Ethan Pocic discovered himself on the fallacious facet of that on Sunday. The Browns are working pin and pull, with Pocic being the second man out the gates. The primary man, left guard Joel Bitonio blocks cornerback Joey Porter Jr and Pocic goes to return round and hit the primary man he sees sporting black.
Nevertheless, Roberts had different plans. Roberts decides to ship Pocic again to Cleveland himself by GOING CRASH TEST DUMMY DIRECTLY THOUGH POCIC’S CHEST. That is that actual soccer proper right here. Sufficient of making an attempt to slide blocks, making an attempt to run round them. Nah man. SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS BY GOING THROUGH THEM FULL FORCE.
This play misplaced a yard on first down, placing the Browns again behind the sticks and Roberts’ laying the smackdown on Pocic’s sweet ass helped to throw off the complete run path and provides his teammates an opportunity to assist make that sort out. My favourite a part of this play is the truth that you’ll be able to see Roberts charging up this spirit bomb, rocking forwards and backwards like a psychopath and on the brink of let some ache go like Godzilla. POCIC LEFT THE GROUND! HIS FEET WERE OFF THE GROUND! THAT’S A 320 POUND MAN WITH HIS FEET IN THE AIR LIKE HE’S ON A SWING!
There’s one other play that Roberts made that made me bounce up, and it sort of encapsulates what the Steelers are. It’s 4th and 1 and the Browns are gonna run a fast little toss play to choose up this primary down. They movement RB Jerome Ford into the backfield and attempt to kick out EDGE Alex Highsmith and the guard wraps round. The play is meant to catch the protection off guard, anticipating a sneak and getting the primary through toss. Roberts is having none of that, hitting this gap with insane quickness. He makes this sort out for loss and will get the Steelers the ball again, one thing that Pittsburgh has simply been good at this 12 months.
Discovering performs inside the margins on protection to present their offense extra alternatives to do … one thing with the ball.
The Steelers’ protection has arguably their greatest take a look at of the season, a important matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. With the best way that each offenses have performed this season, I wouldn’t be stunned if this sport ends like 18-12.
The Steelers’ protection in opposition to the Eagles’ floor sport goes to be one of many coolest matchups to look at this season, and I’m excited to see if anybody discovered from what occurred to Pocic and produce their laborious hat for those who step to Elandon Roberts.
