Keeps Adams on the blind side
Mike Tomlin was wrapping up 无毛视频淔riday Night Lights无毛视频澛犖廾悠禂 St. Vincent College version 1.0聽无毛视频� at his post-practice press conference, when music began wafting over from the baseball field.
无毛视频淕uys,无毛视频� the Steelers无毛视频� P.R. man interrupted, 无毛视频渢he band无毛视频檚 starting to play. Last question for coach.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲hy?无毛视频� asked a newsman. 无毛视频淚s he going to the concert?无毛视频�
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 running the fireworks,无毛视频� said Tomlin. 无毛视频淭he more you can do!无毛视频�
The more you can do.
It无毛视频檚 the credo this time of the year. It无毛视频檚 how undrafted rookies聽无毛视频� or, really, all of those fighting for the last few roster spots聽无毛视频� win jobs.
It无毛视频檚 also what coaches say when they want to take a look at a possible change, and last night Tomlin wanted to take a look at Mike Adams playing left tackle and Marcus Gilbert playing right tackle.
It is, in fact, what I无毛视频檝e wanted to see since the start of spring ball. And last night聽无毛视频� under the most game-like conditions a coach can simulate during a training camp聽无毛视频� seemed to be a telling time.
In my mind, anyway.
But Tomlin said it really didn无毛视频檛 mean all that much. When he was asked if the move was made merely to expand those tackles无毛视频� 无毛视频減osition flexibility,无毛视频� Tomlin said, 无毛视频淎bsolutely.无毛视频�
Here was the follow-up: 无毛视频淢ight Adams stay there for good?无毛视频�
无毛视频淵eah,无毛视频� Tomlin admitted. 无毛视频淏ut read into it what you read into it. If Ike Taylor was playing left corner and being swapped to right corner, it无毛视频檚 about the same thing. I know we make more out of it than what it is, but it无毛视频檚 just that.无毛视频�
Maybe he无毛视频檚 trying to convince the former left tackle of that. Maybe Gilbert needs to believe the move doesn无毛视频檛 mean anything more than Taylor following A.J. Green from the left side to the right side.
But didn无毛视频檛 we, the Pittsburgh media, spend the 2010 season explaining the extreme difficulty in Flozell Adams无毛视频� move to the right side?
Hey, I无毛视频檓 all for the move. Gilbert at LT was my No. 4 concern coming into camp, if you recall that pre-camp column. And trust that some of the team无毛视频檚 employees feel the same way. They saw the way he injured half of his linemates and then himself last season. They understand the questions surrounding his grit and fire. And Tomlin heard plenty about giving Adams a look at left tackle instead. At 无毛视频淔riday Night Lights,无毛视频� a magical practice where we want to believe things are happening for a reason, Tomlin acquiesced.
Does it mean anything?
Well, Adams did play well. He无毛视频檚 played well all week, after overcoming a recent stabbing, and he deserves the opportunity. And on this night he kept No. 7 clean. That无毛视频檚 what无毛视频檚 most important for Adams, because we know he无毛视频檚 a killer in the run game.
And in the one-on-one drills, Adams didn无毛视频檛 need two, or even one, blown rep to begin warming up to the task. Adams came right out and shut Cameron Heyward down to set the tone for the remainder of the drill.
So, yes, Adams deserves a look, a good, long, sincere look. That无毛视频檚 my opinion, while Tomlin无毛视频檚 is still under wraps.
An offensive lineman who无毛视频檚 played next to both tackles, and who无毛视频檚 old enough and mature enough to provide me with some honesty, was asked to break this logjam.
无毛视频淏oth of them have been playing well beside me,无毛视频� said left guard Ramon Foster. 无毛视频淢ike did well today. Gilbert has been consistent also. It无毛视频檒l just have to battle itself off. Mike is naturally left-handed; Gilbert无毛视频檚 right-handed. We无毛视频檒l see how the coaches view it, but in my opinion they无毛视频檙e both about even.无毛视频�
You无毛视频檙e going to abstain, Ramon?
颁无毛视频檓辞苍.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 how I see it,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淵ou asked for my honest opinion. That无毛视频檚 it无毛视频�
That无毛视频檚 not how many others see it here. Many others smarter than me believe Adams is the natural left tackle and Gilbert is the natural right tackle; or even a natural to be replaced at the first opportunity.
But that无毛视频檚 coming from the hardcore crowd up here. They get camp flu earlier than most.