An NFL defensive assistant coach slammed Indianapolis Colts lineman Quenton Nelson after his poor showing against Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. Instead of doubling down on the criticism, Heyward defended Nelson.
The Steelers defensive tackle responded to an article about the Top 10 offensive linemen in the NFL. The article slammed Nelson for being dominated by Heyward during one of their games. In a classy move, Heyward stepped up to defend Nelson. According to Heyward, he simply had a good game. And this doesn't mean that Nelson should be looked down upon.
Man I’m not with that. So because I had a good game it devalues a great talent. Dude is heck of a talent. How about I’m a great player myself and we won the game simple as that. I know Q is a dog and I know it’s a 5 star match up when we line up.
— Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) July 12, 2020
Interestingly, the list actually ranked Nelson number one even over his Steelers opponent. According to an AFC executive, one should simply watch him play to see why's he's the best out there. Statistics reveal that Nelson has gone 30 games without allowing a sack. In 2019, the Colts ranked seventh in rushing.
Despite this, there are still criticisms of his play. One NFC executive blasted his over-eagerness to “kill.” This may be his main weakness.
“He will always have a few plays where he’ll whiff because he’s trying to kill you,” one NFC exec said. “So he can make you hesitant to put that really big grade on him. But he wreaks havoc.”
Be that as it may, Nelson is a standout among the many elite offensive linemen in the NFL. There's a good reason why analysts placed him at the top. Like every player, Nelson has his weaknesses. But despite outlasting Nelson during their Colts – Steelers matchup, Heyward recognizes that that game doesn't define what the Colts offensive guard is all about.
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