Jaguars’ Fournette not a fan of the cold
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� The Steelers drafted Le无毛视频橵eon Bell for games like these.
Cold games like these.
A cold front rolling across the country will hit Western Pennsylvania early Saturday morning, and for kickoff Sunday (1 p.m.) the predicted temperature is 14 degrees. That would be the fourth coldest home game in Pittsburgh无毛视频檚 recorded NFL history.
In the three colder games, including this past New Year无毛视频檚 Eve win over Cleveland, the Steelers are 2-1.
And in those games, all three visitors traveled south to play.
But Jacksonville will make an 850-mile trek north, and the Jaguars are 0-4 all-time in weather colder than 28 degrees. The coldest weather in which the Jaguars have played was nine degrees in 2000, when they lost at Cincinnati, 17-14.
The Jaguars lost at Tennessee, 31-17, in 23-degree temperature this past New Year无毛视频檚 Eve. Six weeks earlier, star running back Leonard Fournette 无毛视频� born in New Orleans and schooled at LSU 无毛视频� lamented the potential of playing a cold game in Cleveland.
无毛视频淚 hate the cold period,无毛视频� Fournette told reporters, and added that his only experience in cold weather was a game at Arkansas in 33 degrees. He gained nine yards on five carries that day.
The temperature in Cleveland stayed above freezing, at 38 degrees, and Fournette rushed for 111 yards in a Jaguars win, but on that frigid New Year无毛视频檚 Eve in Tennessee he rushed for only 69 yards (19 carries) in a 15-10 loss.
无毛视频淚t took me a while to get used to it,无毛视频� said Steelers lineman Jerald Hawkins, one of Fournette无毛视频檚 teammate at LSU. 无毛视频淚 think it无毛视频檚 going to affect him, too.无毛视频�
无毛视频淵eah, I think if it无毛视频檚 cold, guys not used to playing in the cold, always playing in the sun and humidity, yeah, I think it affects them a lot,无毛视频� said Bell, who rushed for 236 yards in a Buffalo blizzard in 27 degrees (18 wind chill), and 167 yards in 18 degrees (2 wind chill) when Miami came to Heinz Field in last season无毛视频檚 playoffs.
The Dolphins, like the current Jaguars, were a run-oriented team.
无毛视频淵eah, even a running team,无毛视频� Bell said. 无毛视频淐oach Tomlin said he drafted me over Eddie Lacy when I was coming out because I was so used to carrying the ball in the cold, getting hit in the cold. That was the biggest thing for him. It affects runners. It definitely affects guys who are tackling. When it无毛视频檚 cold outside I take a lot of pride because I know guys don无毛视频檛 want to tackle.无毛视频�
That was Fournette无毛视频檚 primary complaint about the cold. 无毛视频淵ou take a little hit and it hurts,无毛视频� he said back in November.
无毛视频淭o be honest, I don无毛视频檛 play any differently in the cold,无毛视频� said Bell. 无毛视频淚 play in cold weather the same as I play in hot, warm weather, whatever it is. It looks different because when it无毛视频檚 cold outside, guys play worse than they do when it无毛视频檚 hot or warm outside. I think that无毛视频檚 what makes me look different, but I go out there and play my same game. Other people kind of downgrade their game a little bit. That无毛视频檚 the biggest thing for me.无毛视频�
Like the Buffalo game?
无毛视频淏uffalo, the Miami Dolphins game, Kansas City,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭here are a lot of games where guys are cold and they don无毛视频檛 really want to make the tackle or fight off a block, and I take pride in that because I know that coming into the game.
无毛视频淪ome guys put on a front acting like they无毛视频檙e not cold. But I know. I know.无毛视频�
NOTES: CB Artie Burns (hyperextended knee), DL Stephon Tuitt (elbow tendinitis) and NT Javon Hargrave (back) sat out Thursday无毛视频檚 practice but all are expected to play Sunday.