PITTSBURGH -- In 2019, it was No. 72 is eligible that got fans going when Zach Banner had his tackle eligible package. Yet, in Dublin, Ireland, it was Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Spencer Anderson, who kept coming in and clearing lanes for a rejuvenated rushing attack.
Anderson played 19 snaps last Sunday, with 18 of those coming in the tackle eligible formation. It is a new spot for Anderson, who has played all five other spots along the offensive line at some point. Maybe, it will even come with a reception down the line.
Yet, the Steelers crushed the Minnesota Vikings up from with Anderson leading the way on many runs for Kenneth Gainwell, a new wrinkle in Arthur Smith’s offense.
“Every time I came in,” Anderson said, “I would yell to the ref, ‘Grandma!’ because he had come up to me during a TV timeout and was like, ‘Is your grandmother watching?’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ So he goes, ‘Well, I gotta let your grandmother know you’re reporting eligible.’ So once he blew the whistle, he would let the TV (audience know over his microphone). And after the fifth or sixth time I reported, it was just, ‘Grandma, grandma!’”
It likely is more of a week-to-week thing, as the Vikings’ penchant for running two-high shells gave the Steelers the perfect reason to deploy the personnel package.
However, Anderson’s role is likely to grow bigger against similar teams when the Steelers want to play smash mouth football.
“It’s week-to-week when you look at our game plan,” Smith said. “The way we were ahead a lot (in Dublin), and so Spencer played a lot more, that’s just the way the game flowed.”
Anderson is the top interior swing man for the Steelers, and came in on the team’s tush push attempt with tight end Connor Heyward.
So, he serves more purposes than just as a tackle eligible, but that seems like one obvious way Anderson can push forward and ignite his role in the Steelers offense.
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