Cam Heyward Hopes Protection Will Play ‘A Lot Higher’ With Jabrill Peppers In The Fold

The Pittsburgh Steelers gained their season opener, however it wasn’t all fairly. Amidst their chaotic win, Pittsburgh misplaced one in all their key defenders, DeShon Elliott, to an damage. It’s not a significant one, however it can preserve him out a pair weeks. To compensate, the Steelers went out and signed Jabrill Peppers in his place.

Being so new to the group, Peppers could not play an ton in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks come Sunday. When he’s on the sphere, Cam Heyward hopes he may also help make a distinction.

“Peppers, bought to see him when he was with New England, when he was with Cleveland,” Heyward mentioned, talking to the media on Thursday by way of Steelers.com. “I simply assume he performs quick, he performs downhill. We gotta be loads higher with him.”

If there’s one factor this protection desires to do, it’s play aggressively. Luckily, that’s the precise sort of recreation Jabrill Peppers brings. He’s an aggressive tackler that performs like a linebacker, and isn’t scared to fly downhill. Particularly contemplating he’s changing DeShon Elliott, Peppers ought to instantly match this unit with his play model.

He solely performed six video games with the Patriots final 12 months, however he excelled as a run stopper. Jabrill Peppers had 40 tackles, with two leading to a loss. Peppers missed solely two tackles throughout that span, simply 4.8-percent of his makes an attempt. Anytime you possibly can put up a season with the identical quantity of missed tackles as tackles for a loss, you’re doing one thing proper.

Peppers was good in opposition to the cross, too. He allowed a 57.1-percent completion price and a 51.2 passer ranking when focused. Nonetheless, that’s not likely the identify of his recreation, and it’s not why the Steelers introduced him to city. Throughout his seven years, Peppers has allowed a passer ranking over 100 when focused thrice.

He’s becoming a member of a populated secondary, and can compete alongside Chuck Clark and Juan Thornhill for taking part in time in Elliott’s absence. The Steelers, although, badly want his assist in opposition to the run. The Jets gashed all of them Sunday lengthy, so that they’ll take any assist they’ll get at this level, together with from Peppers.

He’s beginning his season late, and has solely been in Pittsburgh for just a few days. Thus, Jabrill Peppers in all probability gained’t make an enormous influence this week. Nonetheless, he’s actually a great run defender to have on a crew that may’t appear to cease it.