Steelers Gameday Steelers News
Danny Smith’s Block Party: Steelers Block Kick For 3rd Week Straight
PITTSBURGH — In the third quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers 37-15 win against the New York Jets on Sunday night, Dean Lowry leapt up and redirected kicker Greg Zuerlein’s 35-yard field goal attempt.
The Steelers then mobbed special teams coordinator Danny Smith after the defensive lineman’s block. The jubilance that follows such a play is nothing new to Pittsburgh, though.
Not these days.
Per Steelers assistant director of communications Michael Bertsch, it’s the first time that the team has blocked a kick — punt, field goal, or extra point — in three straight games for the first time since at least 1991.
“We talked all week about getting that third one, making NFL history, so that was on our mind all week,” Lowry said. “On that rush, I was an A-gap rusher, got some penetration in there — I thought it was kind of a low kick. I got my hand up and, fortunately, got enough to block the field goal.”
.@Steelers special teams stepping up and getting 🆙 pic.twitter.com/oBK3dvlnij
— NFL (@NFL) October 21, 2024
Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin sees the trend as more of a tradition. Jeremiah Moon had a blocked punt against the Las Vegas Raiders the game before. Isaiahh Loudermilk smacked away a Brandon Aubrey field goal try the last time the Steelers played at home, against Dallas.
“You know, we got a block culture here that we embrace, and we embrace it with our work during the course of the week, man,” Tomlin said. “We got a lot of guys that put a lot of effort into the techniques that’s required to deliver and so I’m just appreciative of that, man. It’s pretty awesome. It is significant, and it has been. I’m appreciative.”
Pittsburgh just barely missed out on blocking a punt in the first half. Minkah Fitzpatrick’s blocked extra point was — maybe wrongfully — called back for a leverage penalty in the second quarter.
“It was a little bit frustrating knowing that it could’ve been a huge play in the game,” Lowry said. “I think we just kind of took it upon ourselves to go out there and make a play that next field goal and, luckily, we made it happen.”
Smith showed a lot of fire after Fitzpatrick’s impact play was expunged. That passion is part of what drives the special teams’ success week in and week out.
“I’d say his energy,” Lowry said of what makes Smith good at his job. “Every day in practice, you’ve seen him. He’s out there. He’s making sure we’re not just going through the motions. We’re visualizing ourselves making plays, getting blocks, and kind of manifesting that into action.”
Read This Next
