Dupree, Green both practice
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� As the Steelers embark on the second half of their season, the presence of a couple of new players adds to the fresh outlook.
Bud Dupree practiced for the first time since early in training camp and said, 无毛视频淚 felt good. I feel fresh. My body feels good. The pads don无毛视频檛 feel too heavy.无毛视频�
Dupree, of course, is the 2015 No. 1 draft pick who figures to help the Steelers pass rush at outside linebacker/defensive end.
Dupree missed most of the spring, summer and the first nine weeks of the regular season with a sports hernia that wasn无毛视频檛 operated on until September. He无毛视频檚 back and has 21 days to be activated. He doesn无毛视频檛 expect to be activated for Sunday无毛视频檚 game against the Dallas Cowboys, but 无毛视频減robably next week.无毛视频�
On Wednesday, Dupree said he worked with the scout team, and that 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 going to go with the defense and gets some defensive plays tomorrow.无毛视频�
The other player is 6-6 tight end Ladarius Green, who confirmed he was involved with the first-team offense at Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice and is improving on a daily basis since beginning practice two days following the New England game.
Green has until next Tuesday at 4 p.m. to be activated or left on the PUP list for the remainder of the season, but it appears he无毛视频檒l be activated for Sunday无毛视频檚 game. Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that Green has 无毛视频渄one some nice things. He无毛视频檚 proven his health. He无毛视频檚 in the process of proving his overall level of conditioning.无毛视频�
The quote was relayed to Green on Wednesday and he said, 无毛视频淲ow, I didn无毛视频檛 hear it, but that无毛视频檚 good he said that. It might mean I have a chance to play.无毛视频�
Green hasn无毛视频檛 played since last Christmas Eve when he injured his ankle and subsequently underwent surgery. He caught 37 passes for 429 yards and 4 touchdowns for the San Diego Chargers last season.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been so long. It无毛视频檚 going to be exciting,无毛视频� Green said. 无毛视频淭here will be nerves, of course, but it无毛视频檚 going to be more exciting than anything.无毛视频�
无毛视频淎nother weapon,无毛视频� said Ben Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淎 guy who can stretch the field, who无毛视频檚 played the game of football before, who shows some speed, a big body. One of those guys we just talked about who can help in the middle of the field, so, (I无毛视频檓) excited for the opportunity to work more with him and to see what he can bring to this offense.无毛视频�
MIDDLE OF THE FIELD
Roethlisberger said he needs tight ends and slot receivers 无毛视频渨hen they take away A.B. (Antonio Brown) and take away the outside deep balls.无毛视频�
The player who grabbed that opening in the second half in Baltimore was Eli Rogers. The first-year slot receiver caught six passes for 103 yards during the Steelers无毛视频� attempted rally.
无毛视频淚 thought he did some really good things,无毛视频� said Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淚 thought his conditioning looked better. I thought his route running was better. He made some plays down the middle of the field for us when they were taking away the outsides, and that无毛视频檚 what we need and that无毛视频檚 what we expect from him.无毛视频�
It was obviously Rogers无毛视频� best half of the season, and also his best game. The highlight was a 30-yard catch on third-and-21 in the fourth quarter.
无毛视频淵eah, the middle was open. It was open all game,无毛视频� said Rogers. 无毛视频淏ut that was a perfect pass. I ran a perfect route, kind of widened the safety a little bit, and he hit me right in the window and I made a great catch.无毛视频�
Rogers elaborated on what Roethlisberger meant by his improved conditioning.
无毛视频淛ust not showing signs of fatigue,无毛视频� Rogers said. 无毛视频淏efore I always felt I was in great shape, but to him, being in great shape, even when you have a little wind, is not even showing any sign of fatigue. I think he无毛视频檚 speaking in that regard. He doesn无毛视频檛 want to see it. So, he didn无毛视频檛 see it, and on top of that I was making plays for him. With me going fast like that and him not seeing anything, it let him know I无毛视频檓 in shape.无毛视频�
THE RIVERDANCE
It无毛视频檚 becoming known as 无毛视频淭he Riverdance,无毛视频� that jig-like soccer maneuver Chris Boswell tried 无毛视频� and failed 无毛视频� to execute during the Steelers无毛视频� onside kick attempt Sunday in Baltimore.
Boswell attempted to strike the ball with his left foot after faking with his right, but it hit his right calf and fell harmlessly off the tee.
It looked silly, but the Steelers had the play set up for success with four men on the right side compared to the Ravens无毛视频� three. And Boswell said he executed the kick successfully 11 consecutive times at last Friday无毛视频檚 practice.
无毛视频淵eah, we stayed out extra, just like we always do,无毛视频� Boswell said. 无毛视频淛ust didn无毛视频檛 do it in the game.无毛视频�
Boswell is well regarded by the coaching staff, even more so after he walked into the meeting room Monday and accepted blame for the team无毛视频檚 loss.
无毛视频淚 didn无毛视频檛 give them a chance to recover it at all, so I didn无毛视频檛 do my job,无毛视频� he said on Wednesday. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 what I无毛视频檓 here for. I无毛视频檓 here to give them a chance. I don无毛视频檛 take what I do lightly, so not giving them a chance is very big to me.无毛视频�
INJURY REPORT
Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey was on crutches with a walking boot on his right foot. He suffered a sprain Sunday and missed Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice along with center Maurkice Pouncey (thumb), running back DeAngelo Williams (knee) and safety Jordan Dangerfield (groin).
Pouncey hopes to practice Thursday.