Tuitt, defense determined to stop Ajayi
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Stephon Tuitt wouldn无毛视频檛 get specific about the injury that无毛视频檚 kept him out of all but one series the last three games, calling it only 无毛视频渟ome stuff going on in my knee and my ankle.无毛视频�
无毛视频淏ut I无毛视频檓 feeling pretty good,无毛视频� he said after his first full practice since he left the Bengals game. 无毛视频淓verything无毛视频檚 a go right now.无毛视频�
Tuitt is obviously a key to stopping a Miami Dolphins rushing attack that was responsible for beating up the Steelers 30-15 on Oct. 16.
That game marked the NFL emergence of 6-0, 229-pound running back Jay Ajayi.
Up until halftime of the Week 6 game, Ajayi, since being drafted in 2015, had rushed 122 times in the NFL for 355 yards at 2.9 yards per carry.
But in the second half against the Steeler he exploded for 153 yards on 14 carries to finish with 204 yards. He then became the fourth NFL back ever to rush for back-to-back 200-yard games the following week, and then the fourth NFL back to rush for three 200-yard games in one season.
In the last 11 games of the season, Ajayi rushed for 1,155 yards to finish with 1,272 yards, the third-highest total in team history.
Ajayi is now the target of a Steelers defense that was not only embarrassed that week, but also last week by the Cleveland Browns.
To that end, Tuitt无毛视频檚 return will be a plus.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 a slap in the face, especially here,无毛视频� Tuitt said of Ajayi无毛视频檚 game. 无毛视频淲e don无毛视频檛 really let that happen. We无毛视频檙e still salty about it.无毛视频�
It was only the sixth 200-yard rushing performance against the Steelers dating back to Steve Van Buren in 1947. It was the first since Fred Taylor rushed for 234 in 2000.
No wonder the saltiness lingers.
无毛视频淎 lot of people have a disappointed taste in their mouth from that game,无毛视频� Tuitt said. 无毛视频淭hey made great plays and they capitalized. When you go to a place and you无毛视频檙e not ready to play, that无毛视频檚 going to happen. But this should be a different game. We should go in ready to play. It should be a physical game. They无毛视频檒l give us their best shot. It无毛视频檒l be a fun game.无毛视频�
GREEN: STEP FIVE
Ladarius Green was also a full participant at Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice. The tight end who missed the last two games with a concussion is on the last step of the concussion protocol.
His return to football-specific activities was Step Four, and if he doesn无毛视频檛 encounter recurring signs and symptoms he无毛视频檒l be examined by an independent neurological consultant for clearance to play Sunday.
Steelers tight ends combined to catch only three passes for 24 yards in the previous game against the Dolphins. Before leaving his last game following a blow to the head, Green had five catches for 72 yards.
Other recovering players who put in a full Wednesday practice were WR Sammie Coates, CB Justin Gilbert and TE Xavier Grimble.
Out were OLB Anthony Chickillo (ankle), S Robert Golden (ankle), DE Ricardo Mathews (ankle), RB DeAngelo Williams (not injury related) and ILB Vince Williams (shoulder).
Out for the Dolphins were QB Ryan Tannehill (knee), S Bacarri Rambo (chest) and CB Byron Maxwell (ankle).
BELL FRESH FOR PLAYOFF DEBUT
Le无毛视频橵eon Bell chuckled when asked if he enjoyed his week off.
无毛视频淚 wouldn无毛视频檛 say I had a week off,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淚 still worked out a lot. I didn无毛视频檛 necessarily take a lot of reps in practice. But it felt good not to play in the game, not to get hit and tackled and things like that. My body feels real good, so going into the playoffs I see why Coach T decided to sit me down. Obviously it无毛视频檚 for this reason here. You see a guy like David Johnson get hurt the last game of the season, it kind of makes you realize 无毛视频楳an, it was kind of good I didn无毛视频檛 play.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 glad I无毛视频檓 able to play in this football game. It should be fun.无毛视频�
Mike Tomlin rested Bell, Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger, among others last Sunday, giving what无毛视频檚 undoubtedly the league无毛视频檚 best set of triplets their first playoff game together.
Bell was injured for each of the Steelers无毛视频� last two playoff appearances and comes into this game with 1,268 yards rushing (4.9 avg.) and 616 yards receiving (8.2 avg.) in 12 games. His average of 157 yards from scrimmage per game is the third-highest average in NFL history behind Priest Holmes (163.4) and O.J. Simpson (160.2).
无毛视频淭his is my first playoff game in my fourth year in the league so I无毛视频檓 obviously going to be excited and anxious,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 going to be pumped, and I need that. I need to keep my energy up and have my teammates feed off my energy, let them know how important this game is to me, not just those guys and the fans and all Steeler Nation, but to me, for real. I know how important this game is to me, so I obviously want to go out there and show some people what I can do.无毛视频�
THE BETTER POUNCEY WINS
Maurkice Pouncey was talking about the Dolphins offensive line being young and up-and-coming and he was asked if he sees some of them in his team无毛视频檚 line.
无毛视频淎bsolutely,无毛视频� Pouncey said. 无毛视频淢ike Pouncey无毛视频檚 down there. I see a lot of them in us.无毛视频�
The Pounceys, of course, are identical twins and play the same position, center. But Mike Pouncey has been out of the Dolphins lineup since being placed on injured reserve Dec. 13 with a hip injury.
The three-time Pro Bowler played only five games this season, and one was in the 222-yard rushing performance against the Steelers.
无毛视频淲hen he无毛视频檚 not playing on the offensive line, I don无毛视频檛 know, they无毛视频檙e just not the same to me,无毛视频� Maurkice Pouncey said. 无毛视频淭heir guys are not the same without Mike out there. Honestly, Mike just brings that type of energy to the team. He无毛视频檚 a player that really cares. You can see it when he无毛视频檚 out there playing.无毛视频�
Former Steelers third-round draft pick Kraig Urbik replaced Pouncey.
What无毛视频檚 Mike saying these days?
无毛视频淛ust the obvious,无毛视频� Maurkice said. 无毛视频淗e ain无毛视频檛 really gonna say much, and honestly I don无毛视频檛 even ask him much because I know the things he无毛视频檚 going through. I just try to stay positive. We just talk about fun things. When you无毛视频檙e on IR, you don无毛视频檛 want to talk about football.无毛视频�