Fans can call it the "Tush Push," the "Steel City Shove," or even the "Pittsburgh Plunge." But the guys doing the actual work call it something else.
"Just one word," said Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, "Spartan."
That's because the guy who successfully ran the short-yardage sneak four times Monday night, Connor Heyward, is a Michigan State Spartan.
The college running back-turned-professional tight end was Smith's choice to run the Steelers' version of the play made famous last season by the champion Philadelphia Eagles.
It worked Monday night on two critical fourth-and-1 plays and on a 1-yard touchdown run in the Steelers' 28-15 win over the Dolphins.
The play emerged for the Steelers in Dublin in Week 4 and has continued throughout the season. The only time it failed was on a fourth down against the Bears.
Why did Smith choose Heyward this season to take the snap?
"Connor carried the ball in college," Smith said. "We tried a few guys out, and I just had a lot of faith, and so suddenly we started working, talked about it in the offseason, and just worked it at different times. We had it up from Week One."
Smith said he's thought about using "Spartan" on as far as fourth-and-3, but more logically, he said, it's a call that can be made twice from as far as third-and-3.
While the naming of the play in this instance is understandable, Smith said that isn't always the case.
"Joe Gibbs told me this (when) I became a playcaller; he said, 'I've spent more hours of my life staying up late at night thinking of what to call a play,'" Smith said. "I think the internet helps now. Dave Ragone and I used to joke about that in Atlanta, that you want to keep things in-family to make sure it makes sense. But there are some funny names we come up with."
Smith's personal choice for the play was "Caveman."
Why?
"When football started in the Ivy leagues in the late 1800s, I'm sure when they had 15 guys it was like a rugby scrum. That's why I call it 'Caveman,'" he said.
What about the name of the fake "Spartan" that turned into a 55-yard run by Kenneth Gainwell against the Bears?
"We call that one 'Yazoo,' from his hometown, Yazoo, Mississippi," Smith explained.
Communication uptick
Smith was asked about comments made by his players this week about the improvement in overall communication since the loss to the Bills three weeks ago.
Smith's answer reverberated with his typical love of history.
"The more communication you have, the better," he said. "We certainly communicate a ton, but I think the more you get to know people and (gain) their trust, you just have real conversations. I mean, call me old school (but) I don't get on social media and send weird emojis or passive-aggressive things. You just have a conversation, person to person, the way it should be.
"That's why I love these guys. We've got a lot of good guys in there, and all everybody wants to do is win. Guys don't care who gets the credit. When you have a really good group of guys and a good staff, that's how it should function, not in this kind of like, 'Hey, I want credit when things are right. I don't want the blame when it's not.'
"You get a lot of frail egos in this profession. We've got a lot of good guys. That's certainly the way I believe. That's why I grew up studying guys like George Marshall, Jim Mattis, Ulysses Grant. I'm not really a Douglas MacArthur, George McClellan guy, for the Civil War buffs. So, we've got a good group of guys, and it's a shared experience. That's the way it should be."
Checkmating with a Queen
One of the biggest plays of the game Monday night occurred midway through the second quarter, when the Dolphins faced third-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 32. Dolphins' short-yardage specialist Ollie Gordon took a handoff but was tackled for a loss by Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, who shot a gap as if he'd been cannon-fired.
The Dolphins still came away with a 54-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead, but it turned the momentum as the Steelers went on to score four touchdowns on their next four possessions.
That, of course, wasn't the only tackle Queen made Monday night. He led the Steelers with 10, 9 of which were solo tackles. Jalen Ramsey was next with 4 solo tackles.
For the season, Queen has made 106 tackles. His career-high is 133.
"He's been good," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. "He's a run-and-hit guy. He quarterbacks the defense. He's done a good job in terms of how we communicate back and forth and making sure we're all on the same page. It can get hectic out there sometimes, but he does a really good job.
"I think he's been outstanding. He's making plays. A lot of tackles, talking on the sideline, doing all the things that a guy that's leading that group should do."
