Jones likely to get start with Roethlisberger sidelined
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Ben Roethlisberger underwent surgery to trim some of the meniscus from his left knee, and according to a statement issued by Mike Tomlin, the Steelers 无毛视频渁re confident the injury is not long term.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 expected to be at worst a three-week injury, but Roethlisberger无毛视频檚 assumed replacement, Landry Jones, believes Roethlisberger could even play this week.
无毛视频淧hilip Rivers did it, didn无毛视频檛 he?无毛视频� Jones asked of the San Diego quarterback, who returned in six days for the AFC Championship Game following the 2007 season.
无毛视频淵ou never know what无毛视频檚 going to happen,无毛视频� Jones said.
The most likely scenario has Jones taking the snaps against the 5-1 New England Patriots on Sunday at Heinz Field, and he said he无毛视频檚 never been more prepared.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e been here four years now and nothing has really changed,无毛视频� said Jones. 无毛视频淏eing at the same place, having the same offensive coordinator and learning the same thing, you know it in and out. Obviously there are things to grow and game experience, but as far as the offense is concerned I feel like I have it down pretty well.无毛视频�
Jones started two games last season and played in seven, counting the playoff game at Cincinnati. The Steelers were 1-1 in his starts (lost at Kansas City, won vs. Cleveland) and Jones 无毛视频渟aved无毛视频� a win against Arizona in relief of Michael Vick. Jones pulled out a win in relief against Oakland with a game-winning field goal drive, and almost blew a 无毛视频渟ave无毛视频� in the playoff game before Roethlisberger returned to pull out the win, with help of course from Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones.
Overall, Jones无毛视频� passer rating last season was 67.6. That came on the heels of a busy preseason in which he compiled a passer rating of 76.5. His preseason passer rating this year was 71.4, but guard Ramon Foster believes Jones was better this preseason.
无毛视频淗e was. He无毛视频檚 grown,无毛视频� Foster said. 无毛视频淭he thing is it无毛视频檚 shown that he无毛视频檚 grown. He doesn无毛视频檛 want to repeat back to last year. He wants to be a guy on the rise. He无毛视频檚 got a lot at stake, too. This is the fourth year of his contract. Decisions have to be made, and I know he无毛视频檚 facing that window right there, too, so it无毛视频檚 time for him to show us.无毛视频�
Le无毛视频橵eon Bell believes the practice week will be beneficial for Jones.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e just got to get Landry confidence,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淲hen he无毛视频檚 confident, he makes plays. When he has a pep in his step, I think Landry can strike and do a lot of good things. He无毛视频檚 not as comfortable as Ben is, so we无毛视频檝e got to get him to the point where he无毛视频檚 real confident and feels like he can do no wrong. That无毛视频檚 when he can strike. We don无毛视频檛 want him tense and thinking about too many things at once.无毛视频�
Another 无毛视频淏ig L无毛视频�
Perhaps Landry can be helped by the Steelers debut of 6-5 3/4 tight end Ladarius Green, who discussed with the coaching staff Monday his potential to practice this week.
Green, of course, has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp and is eligible to come off this week. He has five weeks to begin practicing, and once he begins practicing the Steelers have 21 days to activate him. If either deadline passes, Green must remain on the PUP list the remainder of the season.
He said he无毛视频檚 ready now and awaits Tomlin无毛视频檚 decision before Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice.
无毛视频淚 feel pretty good,无毛视频� Green said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been a while since I无毛视频檝e played, as you guys know. It无毛视频檚 been a while since I even practiced, so I feel good about it. I无毛视频檓 excited to ge back out there and see what I can do.无毛视频�
Green has worked through head and ankle issues since he signed a four-year $20 million contract last March as the team无毛视频檚 premium free agent. He missed every spring and summer as he worked on the sideline with trainers. He said the final sticking point was his jumping ability, that he had trouble 无毛视频済etting a real spring off this ankle, but it无毛视频檚 come a long way.无毛视频�
Has this been his longest layoff in football?
无毛视频淵es it is,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 feel like it无毛视频檚 been forever. Feel like I retired and came back. It无毛视频檚 been a while, but I无毛视频檓 excited about it.无毛视频�
Green last year caught 37 passes for 429 yards and four touchdowns before missing the final game with his injury. His career average per catch is 14.1 yards, with a long of 60. He无毛视频檚 been considered a deep threat ever since coming out of Lousiana-Lafayette and running a 4.56 40 at the 2012 Combine.
Mentally, Green said he无毛视频檚 studied and been drilled on the playbook, but transferring it to the field is the big question.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 a big difference,无毛视频� he said.
Could he play against New England?
无毛视频淚 hope so but I don无毛视频檛 know,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 up to the coach.无毛视频�
What could he bring to the team?
无毛视频淗opefully I can bring something,无毛视频� Green said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 just trying to make the team, really, because I haven无毛视频檛 shown anything. They don无毛视频檛 know what I can do and the tight ends have been playing well so far, so I无毛视频檓 just trying to get on the field right now.无毛视频�
无毛视频� And Le无毛视频橵eon
Wide receivers always want the ball, always tell everyone they want the ball, and often complain when they don无毛视频檛 get the ball enough.
Running backs, or more specifically Bell, don无毛视频檛 seem to care so much.
无毛视频淥f course, as a player you always want the ball,无毛视频� he said, 无毛视频渂ut obviously when the play is called I无毛视频檓 going to go out there and run the play.无毛视频�
That was his response to not getting the ball on third-and-1 in Jones无毛视频� first series at quarterback in Miami, after Bell had carried three times for 26 yards during the possession.
Jones threw incomplete on the play, the Steelers punted and the Dolphins scored to take a 16-8 lead into the break.
Bell had carried eight times for 51 yards in the first half for a whopping average of 6.4 yards per carry, but in the second half carried twice. He totaled 10 carries for 53 yards rushing and caught six passes for another 55 yards.
Did he want the ball more often, particularly with Roethlisberger back in the game and limping?
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 really think too much about it,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淚 go out there and play football. If they give me the ball, I无毛视频檒l take it. I just want to do whatever it takes to win games, whether it无毛视频檚 me having the ball, taking it, catching it. I just want to win the game and we didn无毛视频檛 do that.无毛视频�
Will he ask coordinator Todd Haley to give him more of the load if a backup QB is playing next Sunday?
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 say anything,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淚 let everything happen. Run the rock, I无毛视频檓 good with it. If not, I try to do whatever I can in the offense.无毛视频�