Lining up in the same formation later in the game, Heyward again took the snap, but passed it to running back Kenneth Gainwell, who ran around right end for 54 yards to the Chicago 1, setting up a touchdown on the next play.
“We have a plan,” Allen said. “And we feel like it’s a good, solid plan in terms of trying to stop not only that play, but all the plays that come after it, and that’s what makes it even more difficult to stop.”
(5) Hightower was pleased with Cairo Santos’ “dirty” kickoff and the Bears’ kickoff coverage unit vs. Pittsburgh.
Santos’ first kickoff was a knuckleball hit by short-hop Gainwell, who buried the ball. He recovered it, but settled for 5 of his own. Santos’ second kickoff bounced near the sideline at the 1 and went out the side of the end zone for a touchback. Because the ball was dropped at the 1 and not in the end zone, the Steelers’ drive started at the 20 instead of the 35.
After Santos’ next three kickoffs, Pittsburgh took possession at the 25, 27, and 27.
“It was a huge encouragement,” Hightower said. “The thing that makes me happy is when I see ‘DA’ (Dennis Allen) smiling big when that ball is tackled on the 5-yard line and all of our guys—(Josh) Blackwell and (Daniel) Hardy and all the guys and Cairo give him a big high five.
“We just want to help the team any way we can. Whether it’s from a defensive drive standpoint or an offensive drive standpoint, we just want to help the team and contribute. That’s all we care about.”
<a href=