Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt have become a lethal combination at defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers, adding a mix of pass rushing skills with the ability to be stout against the run.
With both playing at a Pro Bowl level, defensive coordinator Keith Butler has been able to be more creative with his schemes, knowing that both Heyward and Tuitt command constant attention from opponents.
Now it looks like the Steelers could head into Sunday’s pivotal matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals without half of that tandem, as Tuitt has yet to practice this week due to a knee injury that already forced him to miss last week’s contest against the Kansas City Chiefs.
With Cam Thomas replacing Tuitt, the Chiefs rushed for 138 yards as a team and Charcandrick West broke the century mark, tallying 110 yards and a touchdown. Thomas was exposed by a Chiefs offensive line that is considered to be one of the worst in the league, and his poor performance has been par for the course since being signed as a free agent last season.
Facing a Bengals offense that includes the rushing tandem of Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard, the Steelers now deal with the prospect of asking Thomas to do something he has rarely done during his time with the team: play at a level that warrants time on the field at all, let alone as a starter.
If Tuitt can’t play, can the Steelers expect Thomas to get the job done? It sure doesn’t look like it.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and considering a loss this Sunday to the Bengals would effectively have the Steelers playing for a Wild Card spot at the halfway point of the season, it’s fair to say it’s desperation time.
That means that if Tuitt is inactive for Sunday, it’s time to find other solutions for his replacement. The first move would be to move Steve McClendon from nose tackle to Tuitt’s spot at DE.
I’ve long contended that McClendon is more suited to play on the end but due to necessity, he’s been forced to play inside. He’s been fine there, but at least for one game, McClendon could shift over to Tuitt’s spot and be a significant upgrade over Thomas, who often looks like he’s on roller skates when he’s engaging blockers.
Add that in a one game scenario, a healthy Daniel McCullers could step in at nose tackle and do the job. Plus, it should not be overlooked that McClendon’s snap count has been limited at nose with the Steelers utilizing packages that often keep the nose tackle on the sidelines.
So shift McClendon over and start McCullers, who will not be asked to play every down anyways, and should be ready to prove he’s ready to make a more regular contribution in his second season.
Making this simple change will limit Thomas’s snaps, and that’s a big win itself.
Photo credit: Steelers.com
