Takeaways from Tomlin conference
Following are the highlights of Mike Tomlin无毛视频檚 weekly press conference on Tuesday, with my commentary in italics:
n 无毛视频淥ur willingness and ability to spread (the Buffalo Bills) out and make them defend the field both horizontally and vertically at the early stages set the stage, in terms of keeping those guys off balance, allowed us to run the ball the rest of the way. We didn无毛视频檛 want to get into one of those static field-position type games and allow them to use the weather circumstances against us in that way.无毛视频�
Sounds like a diversion from what we were all thinking, that Tomlin walked into the locker room at halftime and told coordinator Todd Haley in no uncertain terms that he had better start running the ball. 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know if that happened,无毛视频� Ramon Foster told me, 无毛视频渂ut that无毛视频檚 what the offensive line was thinking.无毛视频�
n 无毛视频淚 really appreciate the contributions of Randy Bullock. He was a pleasure. He put his hand in the pile and delivered for us when called upon. Appreciate the spirit in which he approached the challenge that comes with being a guy in his position. Thankful for his contributions.无毛视频�
Thank your one-game kicker him with a Super Bowl ring, or at least a percentage of those proceeds.
n 无毛视频淚 thought our coverage units were solid. I thought they were highlighted by the play of Rosie Nix. I thought he was dominant in that area. I also thought Rosie had a good game on offense as well.无毛视频�
A good game? Record-setting Man of the Day Le无毛视频橵eon Bell gave his fullback his game ball. The players love the energy, and even the smack talk, Nix brings to the field. He无毛视频檚 another who无毛视频檚 coming back from injury as this team seems to be getting healthier as the season wears on. Nix played in only 13 snaps in the first 10 games before playing 15, 18 and 25 in the last three games, respectively. Nix also has some pass-catching to show off, too. He has the best hands on a former college nose tackle I无毛视频檝e ever seen.
n 无毛视频淒eAngelo Williams (knee) worked some last week and had some positive results. Got a legitimate chance to participate this week. 无毛视频� (Darrius) Heyward-Bey (foot) will move in that direction as well, but probably not as optimistic as DeAngelo. 无毛视频� Shamarko Thomas (concussion) has got a chance. 无毛视频� Ramon Foster (chest) has a chance. 无毛视频� (Javon) Hargrave and B.J. Finney are in the concussion protocol and are being evaluated.无毛视频�
No wonder I couldn无毛视频檛 find Finney in the locker room after the game. I wanted to ask him how many concussions he dished out in an outstanding performance by the replacement left guard. Foster will move back into that position, no doubt. As for Williams, it will be interesting to see how much work he gets at running back in these next two important games. Win them both and he can have the entire finale against the Browns to get ready for the playoffs as Bell无毛视频檚 complement.
n On the upcoming opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, Tomlin said, 无毛视频淐ollectively up 39-0 at halftime of their last two games 无毛视频� I know they无毛视频檝e sustained negatively from a health standpoint, but the last two games show they无毛视频檙e adjusting to the absence of A.J. Green and Giovanni Bernard. They redistributed the labor and are really finding their rhythm. Jeremy Hill, it starts there for us. 无毛视频� Tyler Eifert is dynamic. 无毛视频� Impressed with the growth and development of Tyler Boyd 无毛视频� (Rex) Burkhead offset the loss of Bernard 无毛视频� he无毛视频檚 a WR in some packages.无毛视频�
The Bengals got off fast in wins over the Browns (23-10) and Eagles (32-14) the last two weeks, but it无毛视频檚 hard to imagine that offense playing well this week even with Green returning for his first week of practice after tearing a hamstring on Nov. 20. But I do understand the concept of other players improving in a star无毛视频檚 absence. See the next point for more on that.
n Tomlin, when asked if this is one of the best O-lines he无毛视频檚 had in his 10 years as coach: 无毛视频淐oming off that performance last week, it would be hard to argue against it.无毛视频�
In talking to Foster on Monday about how well the defense is playing in spite of the loss of Cam Heyward, Foster said the injury to Maurkice Pouncey last year forced other players to step up and that they 无毛视频� and by virtue of that, the entire line 无毛视频� became much better and much more confident this year. Foster said he sees the same dynamic happening with the D-line and in particular Stephon Tuitt, and that next year, when Heyward returns, those two will be a terrifying duo.
n On promoting Demarcus Ayers: 无毛视频淲e had a spot there. We无毛视频檝e been leaking a little bit at the receiver position. 无毛视频� He无毛视频檚 learned and worked hard on a daily basis.无毛视频�
The seventh-round draft pick will provide depth and offer an alternative to Antonio Brown as a punt returner, but in my opinion he won无毛视频檛 return kickoffs 无毛视频� even though he may not even 无毛视频済et a hat无毛视频� on game day as part of the 45.
n Tomlin was asked why the Steelers have done so well against tight ends this year. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e still writing that script. We无毛视频檝e got a legitimate one this week in Tyler (Eifert), so stay tuned.无毛视频�
Note to young reporters: Tomlin won无毛视频檛 jinx his team by challenging the karmic forces of the universe. You might as well ask him why his team has been so healthy of late.
n On Sammie Coates: 无毛视频淚 know you guys think there无毛视频檚 more to that story than what it is, but it无毛视频檚 not. The guy无毛视频檚 got two broken fingers on one hand. It makes it difficult to catch the ball consistently, particularly when he无毛视频檚 working back to the quarterback, so until we can get some comfort or clarity in that area, his offensive contributions are going to be limited.无毛视频�
We do think there无毛视频檚 more to it. First, he didn无毛视频檛 know how he gashed a hand that required stitches in a game just over two months ago, and then he found out he broke a finger, too. And then a week or so later we learned he had two broken fingers. Yes, we think there无毛视频檚 something more to THAT, but we also wonder what无毛视频檚 taking him so long to recover and whether he无毛视频檚 having difficulty with his assignments, or, as Tomlin likes to say, 无毛视频渏umping on board (and keeping up with) a moving train.无毛视频�
n How has Le无毛视频橵eon Bell gotten better since his Pro Bowl 2014 season? 无毛视频淎ll areas, intellectually, understanding of the game. 无毛视频� The intellectual conversations with him are much different today than they were then. Just understanding how to play the position, the nuances of the position, the protection of the ball, protection of himself. 无毛视频� More important than the talent, he无毛视频檚 got a desire to be great. 无毛视频� He无毛视频檚 a much better conditioned athlete today than he was in 2014. I mean it when I say all areas.无毛视频�
I无毛视频檒l add that he doesn无毛视频檛 smoke weed any more, and I无毛视频檒l also cite my conversations with Bell, who无毛视频檚 a much sharper human being. He said he无毛视频檚 been off pot for an extended period, and it shows. And I believe 无毛视频� and I would stake a long-term contract offer to him on it 无毛视频� that he无毛视频檒l stay off it. Did anyone see him turn away from the turkey leg on TV on Thanksgiving night? Now, he actually took a wee bite and looked like he wanted to spit it out. He told me later he was hungry, and likes turkey, but that those calories weren无毛视频檛 part of his scheduled daily intake. I believe he无毛视频檚 extended that discipline to pot as well. Just my $.02.
n On dealing with the history of Vontaze Burfict无毛视频檚 cheap shots: 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e going to play ball like we always do.无毛视频�
This team has too much going for it to involve itself in Burfict无毛视频檚 jackassery in any way, shape or form.
n On Artie Burns无毛视频� improved tackling: 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e challenged him openly in terms of improving in that area, and he has. And I无毛视频檓 sure he无毛视频檒l be challenged in some other areas moving forward in his career. If that无毛视频檚 a template, then it bodes well for him as a professional because he无毛视频檚 been no-nonsense in his approach in that area. 无毛视频� A young guy that无毛视频檚 legitimately humble and does more listening than talking is usually going to improve, and I think that describes not only him, but Sean Davis and Hargrave as well.无毛视频�
Good stuff for young athletes in that answer, and Burns has improved his tackling. But I will make this criticism: For as many big plays as he makes, he still allows as many big plays. While I would move him just a smidgen past Hargrave in my Steelers Rookie of the Year vote, I still have Davis as the team无毛视频檚 No. 1 rookie this year.