Over eight seasons in the NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers’ tight end Eric Ebron had only recorded four rushing attempts (for -7 combined yards, but two touchdowns) in 103 career games heading into Sunday night’s clash with the Seattle Seahawks. That’s not that surprising, considering that his job is more about catching passes (344 career receptions for 3,790 yards and 32 touchdowns). But the 28-year-old Ebron continued his stellar touchdown-to-carry ratio Sunday, taking a handoff on a sweep play on third and goal from the Seahawks’ one-yard line, and running in for a touchdown:
Ebron on the hand off! #HereWeGo
📺: #SEAvsPIT on NBC
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/j1MvMmWZ87— NFL (@NFL) October 18, 2021
This was cleverly done by the Steelers. They were in an unusual formation here, with three tight ends (Ebron lined up off the line to the right, Zach Gentry lined up at the right end of the line, and Pat Freiermuth at the left end of the line), a fullback (Derek Watt, lined up off the line to the left), and a tailback (running back Najee Harris) in the backfield. Most of the line seemed to block to the right to indicate that it would be a handoff to Harris going that way, but Ebron came across in motion before the snap.
At first, it looked like Ebron’s run there was about shifting blocking. Instead, he got the ball from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. And Watt and Freiermuth (seen at left above celebrating the TD with Ebron) made terrific blocks to clear the way. And that led to the Steelers taking a 14-0 lead into halftime.
[@NFL on Twitter, Ebron stats via NFL.com; photo from Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports]
