This Unexpected Face Has Been A Hero For The Steelers In 2023
After a shaky first game against San Francisco, Mike Tomlin called third-year punter Pressley Harvin out for his inconsistency. If there’s anything we know, Mike Tomlin is a creature of habit, thriving off of consistency daily. Harvin has responded best, becoming a big part of the Steelers wins the past two weeks.
Punting Is An Art
Being a consistent punter can’t be easy. From the day the Steelers spent a draft pick on Harvin, fans have been looking for an opportunity to blame him for losses. Let’s be honest with ourselves, Harvin could’ve pinned the 49ers on the one-yard line every time in week one and they still would drive right down the field. It was just one of those days. Nothing Pittsburgh could do would stop San Francisco from getting what they wanted.
Overall in his Steelers tenure, Harvin has been pretty inconsistent. Sometimes he looks like the best punter in the league, and sometimes he leaves us bewildered with a short punt. This year has been different. Harvin was firing on all cylinders before his hamstring injury that limited him this week and will keep him in street clothes against the Texans. Two games in a row, Harvin has put his finishing touch on the game and put the Steelers defense in a position to succeed.
Harvin On Another Level
In week two against the Browns, Harvin punted the ball seven times for 320 yards, averaging 45.7 yards per punt and two touchbacks while pinning Cleveland inside their 20-yard line four times including a particularly beautiful punt that led to the TJ Watt scoop and score.
In Las Vegas in week three, Harvin put on another masterclass. Six punts for 323 yards, averaging 53.8 yards per punt, pinning Jimmy G and the Raiders offense inside their own 20 three times, including a beautiful 55-yard punt with 12 seconds left in the game, sealing it for Pittsburgh. An absolute clinic put on in Sin City by Harvin. Pat Mcafee is proud somewhere because Harvin is repping the brand well lately.
Steelers Turn To Familiar Face
With Harvin on the shelf this week with a hamstring injury, hopefully, his powers won’t go away. In his absence, the Steelers will turn to a familiar face in Brad Wing who was a Steeler way back in 2014 when he launched 61 punts before going to spend the next three years as the Giants punter, now in the year of our lord 2023, Wing find himself back in Pittsburgh after admitting himself he thought his NFL days were over. Wing will wear number three for Pittsburgh this weekend, hopefully a good comeback day for him. He knows a good performance could jumpstart a revival for him.
Wing won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice in 2016 for the Giants and led the NFL in total punts in 2017 with 95 after being third in the NFL in 2016 with 93. His leg has some experience. Wing averaged 44.7 yards per punt in his career. Wing spent last year in the XFL with the San Antonio Brahmas, where his head coach was Steelers Legend Hines Ward. Before that, Wing spent a year in the now-defunct AAF, playing for the Memphis Express in 2019. Wing has found a way to stay relevant since his departure from the Giants in 2018 and now the Australian punter finds himself in a great opportunity in week four for the Steelers. Get well soon Pressley!
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