Steelers preparing for ‘Redemption Sunday’
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� The Pittsburgh Steelers were buzzing on the field Wednesday in preparation for what they无毛视频檙e calling 无毛视频淩edemption Sunday.无毛视频�
The Steelers, of course, hope to rebound from the 34-3 licking they took last Sunday, and to that end they must also replace a handful of injured starters.
Some of the replacements have done it before. Vince Williams expects to make his 14th start at inside linebacker, this time in place of Ryan Shazier. And Will Gay expects to slide back into the slot corner position in the likelihood that rookie Sean Davis can无毛视频檛 play Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The buzz on the field carried over into the locker room as the following players talked about making either their first start or making their return to the field after a three-game suspension.
We无毛视频檒l start with him.
LE无毛视频橵EON BELL
Ben Roethlisberger hinted before practice that Bell would return in part as a slot receiver to replace Eli Rogers, as one way to put both Bell and DeAngelo Williams on the field at the same time.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e not going to take RB off the front of his name and put WR (there),无毛视频� Roethlisberger added. 无毛视频淏ut I definitely think he无毛视频檚 one of our best receivers.无毛视频�
And Bell无毛视频檚 receiving ability was the continued buzz in the locker room after practice.
无毛视频淒id you watch practice today?无毛视频� asked Mike Mitchell in response to a question about Bell无毛视频檚 skills. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 a wide receiver for real. No doubt about it. He无毛视频檚 a (laughs) he无毛视频檚 a receiver. He无毛视频檚 a receiver. He无毛视频檚 a blessed athlete.无毛视频�
Inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons has covered Bell in practices ever since Bell came into the league some three years, 2,777 rushing yards and 152 receptions ago.
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 definitely the Marshall Faulk of his generation,无毛视频� said Timmons. 无毛视频淗e can carry it between the tackles and catch it outside the box.无毛视频�
His route running?
无毛视频淰ery polished,无毛视频� Timmons said.
Bell explained how he added that kind of polish.
无毛视频淎 lot of it is really natural, just being savvy,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淎 lot of it is having the best receiver in the league. I无毛视频檝e been watching him a lot. I really like watching AB (Antonio Brown), the way he releases, how he gets in and out of his breaks. He无毛视频檚 helped me a lot as this process went on. I无毛视频檝e been watching it for four years. He无毛视频檚 definitely helping me a lot and he probably doesn无毛视频檛 even know it. It无毛视频檚 not like we went off to the side and did it on our own.无毛视频�
Bell, of course, was excited about the prospect of running the ball again. In fact, his last full game, and his last 100-yard game, was against the Chiefs on Oct. 25 last year. He rushed for 121 yards on 17 carries, and was knocked out for the rest of the year with a knee injury the following week against Cincinnati.
Considering all the talk about his receiving, will he even get much of a chance to run the ball Sunday night?
无毛视频淧ractice is practice,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淭hey like to use me in a lot of situations, and I无毛视频檝e just got to be prepared for it.无毛视频�
B.J. FINNEY
Center Maurkice Pouncey was lamenting the loss of left guard Ramon Foster to a chest injury when he was asked about Finney, the first-year replacement.
无毛视频淚 love B.J.,无毛视频� Pouncey said. 无毛视频淓veryone around here has a great amount of respect for him. He got in there and did a great job last week.无毛视频�
Finney replaced Foster late in the first half Sunday and finished the game. He无毛视频檒l make his first start against a Chiefs team that the Kansas native无毛视频檚 family used to cheer.
无毛视频淢y mom and uncle are coming and both were Chiefs fans 无毛视频� one still is,无毛视频� Finney said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not letting him wear Chiefs to the game.无毛视频�
The comment caused reporters to laugh, and emboldened another.
无毛视频淎ren无毛视频檛 you the guy who无毛视频檚 famous for crying when they signed you?无毛视频� he Finney of the famous YouTube video.
无毛视频淚 wasn无毛视频檛 crying,无毛视频� said Finney.
无毛视频淵ou were crying,无毛视频� said the reporter.
无毛视频淚 was emotional but I wasn无毛视频檛 crying,无毛视频� said Finney.
无毛视频淲ill you cry this week when you actually start for the Steelers?无毛视频�
无毛视频淣o. No,无毛视频� said Finney, obviously a good-natured big man. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 focused on contributing. I无毛视频檓 focused on my assignments, making sure I don无毛视频檛 mess up and cause the offense to have a rift.无毛视频�
JORDAN DANGERFIELD
Shamarko Thomas has apparently been passed over by Dangerfield, who无毛视频檚 been on the Steelers无毛视频� practice squad the last two years. Dangerfield may have made this team on the final game of the preseason when he led the team in tackles.
无毛视频淚t could无毛视频檝e been,无毛视频� said Dangerfield. 无毛视频淥r just being here the past three years. That probably just topped it off.无毛视频�
Dangerfield confirmed he worked with the first team Wednesday, but wasn无毛视频檛 about to assume that meant the safety job is his for Sunday night.
Rob Golden and Davis are most likely out for the game.
无毛视频淭hey just said I got the ones and I无毛视频檓 preparing,无毛视频� Dangerfield said. 无毛视频淚 prepare as a starter every week anyway. It无毛视频檚 going to be the same as every other week.无毛视频�
Dangerfield has always been an explosive hitter, but he felt this preseason he proved he wasn无毛视频檛 a liability in coverage.
无毛视频淏eing in the right spot with the zone coverages, having your man in man coverage, being able to run,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淔irst our job is to get the ball back for our offense, so that无毛视频檚 the priority.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 a sign that he无毛视频檚 paid his dues.
无毛视频淒efinitely,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淚 felt like I took the long road. They kept faith in me and I无毛视频檓 thankful for that.无毛视频�
无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 the next man up,无毛视频� was all Mitchell had by way of explanation.
He didn无毛视频檛 sound very excited about it, either.
无毛视频淢an, I got a job to do,无毛视频� Mitchell said. 无毛视频淭hey could put you out there next to me and I无毛视频檓 going to find a way to feel confident about it. I expect you to be a professional and prepare. I expect the same thing for Jordan.无毛视频�