Big Ben brings confidence back to locker room
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Ben Roethlisberger would later show off a confidence on the football field that he didn无毛视频檛 have last week, but earlier in the day he showed off a desire to bring confidence back to a shaken Steelers locker room.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 excited to get going. It无毛视频檚 a new week,无毛视频� said Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淓verything we无毛视频檝e done so far is behind us, good, bad and indifferent. We无毛视频檙e excited for the second half of the football season.无毛视频�
Roethlisberger spoke respectfully of the team coming to Heinz Field, the 7-1 Dallas Cowboys, and said, 无毛视频淭his is November and December football. This is when it all counts and when it all matters.无毛视频�
But how?
How can a team in the midst of a three-game losing streak find a way out of the apparent darkness?
无毛视频淔ollow me,无毛视频� he said.
Roethlisberger paused, making for greater effect, and added, 无毛视频淕uys who have been here know (it无毛视频檚) no time or reason to panic.无毛视频�
Another pause.
无毛视频淛ust watch me,无毛视频� he said.
Later that afternoon, Roethlisberger was the centerpiece of a practice that was about as sharp and crisp and crackling as any of late.
无毛视频淲e expect that from Ben,无毛视频� said the guy who was doing the same thing on the defensive side of the ball, Cam Heyward.
无毛视频淏en无毛视频檚 a proven leader. He无毛视频檚 won Super Bowls, done everything, and he wants another one. He understands this opportunity. I think a lot of guys have to understand that we无毛视频檝e got to have that sense of urgency. We don无毛视频檛 have that room any more. So we have to be accountable and we have to hold guys accountable as well.无毛视频�
This, of course, comes on the heels of a penalty and mistake-filled loss at Baltimore, after which Le无毛视频橵eon Bell said, 无毛视频淚 think we have to practice better. Even at practice we have mistakes like that.无毛视频�
The remark grew to become the centerpiece of a media assault on the Steelers无毛视频� preparation process throughout this three-game losing streak.
Heyward addressed the topic.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 his own opinion,无毛视频� Heyward said. 无毛视频淏ut guys are working. Guys are putting in the effort. Sometimes it might be a little sloppy. Sometimes we have to replay a play. That无毛视频檚 just because we want a good look. If he feels that way, let him feel that way, and that means practice has got to pick up even more. But I thought today was a good practice.无毛视频�
Heyward explained that last week无毛视频檚 practices included 无毛视频渁 lot of moving pieces.无毛视频� He, like Roethlisberger, was returning from an injury and coaches had to balance reps for the injured with reps for potential replacements in case the injured couldn无毛视频檛 make it back.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 a fine line,无毛视频� Heyward said. 无毛视频淓verybody无毛视频檚 got to get work.无毛视频�
Would he characterize those practices as sloppy? Were coaches letting things go?
无毛视频淥h, nobody无毛视频檚 letting things go,无毛视频� Heyward said. 无毛视频淚 think if anything we might have to replay a play. If a guy无毛视频檚 not catching a ball, you无毛视频檝e got to make adjustments. But I don无毛视频檛 think they were bad practices.
无毛视频淲e don无毛视频檛 practice perfect, but we try to. That无毛视频檚 the ultimate goal because you want to get ready for Sunday. And, when you don无毛视频檛 get the job done on Sunday, you look back on it and say 无毛视频榯here are other things I could无毛视频檝e done.'无毛视频�
Heyward added that he did sense an urgency Wednesday at the Steelers无毛视频� first practice in preparation for the Cowboys.
无毛视频淏ut it无毛视频檚 got to be present on Sunday,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淲e can sit here and say it was present today, but we无毛视频檝e got to feel it on Sunday. We无毛视频檝e got to make sure that we play our best football on Sunday.无毛视频�