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Cameron Heyward: Winning Division is Not Steelers’ ‘Ultimate Goal’
The Steelers can win the AFC North with a win against the Ravens on Saturday, but DT Cameron Heyward has bigger aspirations this season.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for their second meeting with the Baltimore Ravens this season and Saturday’s game has much higher stakes than the previous. If the Steelers win, they will officially be crowned the kings of the AFC North.
That, of course, is a goal every season for the Steelers, but defensive tackle Cameron Heyward has much bigger expectations for his team this year: Winning a Super Bowl.
“It’s one of the goals, but it’s not the ultimate goal. I think we understand there’s a checklist that we made for ourselves and we talk about being a top team in the AFC. To be a top team in the AFC, you need to win the AFC North,” Heyward said. “We want home games in January, so this is a step towards that.”
Heyward’s aspirations don’t come as a surprise as the 35-year-old has never gotten past the AFC title game, but at the same time he understands that the Steelers must take it one game at time.
That’s exactly the mindset that has allowed the Steelers to win eight of the last nine meetings with the Ravens.
“Each game is coming down to a couple of possessions,” Heyward said. “I don’t think we get ahead of ourselves in that approach. I think we understand every time we go up against them, we need our best game.”
The Steelers have had so much success against the Ravens because of their ability to limit the impact of two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
In seven games, Jackson has thrown for just 1,077 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions while being sacked 22 times.
That’s something pretty much the rest of the NFL can’t say they’ve been able to do against Jackson. Heyward doesn’t have a clear answer as to why the Steelers can.
“Don’t know,” Heyward said. “Hopefully we’re knocking on the right doors, praying to God and hoping we can do it again because it’s a tough task to do it one time, let alone in the past.”
There aren’t many secrets between the Steelers and Ravens at this point, given their familiarity with one another.
That’s why Heyward thinks Saturday will come down to a couple of splash plays, just like it always does.
“I don’t want to say it’s necessarily easy, but we know each other. We know what type of game it is, and I think that goes into constructing the game plans. As they know you, you have to be able to execute better,” Heyward said. “It’s really highlighted by turnovers, special teams, the team that gets off the field the fastest. Hopefully our defense is ready to do that.”
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