By: G.Stryker, Twitter @SNStryker and Instagram @SNStryker
SteelerNation.com
Games are full of special moments. Most are easy to see and are part of the highlight reel each week. Some moments happen just out of the limelight of the big play, but without their efforts, those big plays don't happen. These hidden plays can be a block, a pressure, a tip, or football IQ creating the impact that is the difference between success and failure.
This is a play that gets hidden in the story that was a Pittsburgh Steelers win on Sunday against the Houston Texans. The Steelers are traditionally slow starters and it’s been two seasons since their last touchdown on an opening drive, so any points on their first drive are a godsend.
On the Steelers first possession, they faced a 3rd and 10 on their 22-yard line. Fail here, and you are punting, giving the other team decent field position. The Texans are playing zone and the two receivers to Ben Roethlisberger’s left run streaks to clear their defenders out the short zone. JuJu Smith-Schuster runs a shallow drag and his defender passes him off to the next zone. Only problem is there is no one to pick Smith-Schuster up. When Roethlisberger throws the football, there is no defender within 10 yards of Smith-Schuster.
The defender assigned to his zone, leaves his deep coverage and makes a hard hit on him 4 yards short of the sticks. Most receivers would drop from this hit, but Smith-Schuster is bigger and stronger than most receivers. He absorbs the hit, and begins to lose balance. He knows he is falling down short of a first down, so what does he do? After the momentum of the hit spins him around and seems to be carrying him out of bounds, he extends upside down and dives backward for the extra 3 yards needed for a first down.
Without this effort play by Smith-Schuster, the Steelers give up possession on a 3 and out. Instead, it ended with 3 much needed points in a game where points were hard to come by.
Watch the play below and let us know what you think!
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