Timing of Moncrief’s drops really hurt Steelers
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� It wasn无毛视频檛 just the drops by Donte Moncrief that hurt his team in New England, it was the timing of them.
Moncrief, in his first game with the Steelers, dropped two fourth-down passes, another one in the end zone, and another early in the fourth quarter. He also looked over the wrong shoulder on a perfectly placed third-down fade pass by Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone that resulted in the field goal from the 1.
There无毛视频檚 bad, pretty bad, very bad, and 无毛视频�
无毛视频淪ickening,无毛视频� said Moncrief. 无毛视频淎fter we watched film, there was a feeling in my stomach. It hurt. I went home and went straight to sleep. I put that away. Now, it无毛视频檚 a new week. It无毛视频檚 time to go.无毛视频�
At the start of this new week, Moncrief was lifted by Roethlisberger, who came out of Moncrief无毛视频檚 injury-plagued training camp thinking very highly of the Steelers无毛视频� most expensive free agent acquisition.
无毛视频淪till do,无毛视频� said Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淣othing无毛视频檚 changed with that.无毛视频�
What does Roethlisberger see in him?
无毛视频淚 think he无毛视频檚 a smart receiver,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 a guy that无毛视频檚 going to give you everything he无毛视频檚 got. He无毛视频檚 a veteran guy who无毛视频檚 been around. He can run. He can run different routes. He无毛视频檚 not just a deep-ball guy. And I really just like the personality that he has. He无毛视频檚 a guy who无毛视频檚 easy to talk to and will communicate back with you. So, I无毛视频檓 excited for him this week. I think we无毛视频檒l see some really good things.无毛视频�
Early in training camp, Moncrief dislocated his middle finger trying to catch a high, hot pass. He didn无毛视频檛 play much in preseason, but did drop a pass. He caught three others for only seven yards.
Is the finger still bothering him?
无毛视频淛ust a little bit,无毛视频� Moncrief said. 无毛视频淏ut you无毛视频檝e got to go with it. Even if it无毛视频檚 hurting or not, you无毛视频檝e got to still play. You无毛视频檝e just got to not think about it and just go. You无毛视频檝e got to go out there and make plays. He无毛视频檚 depending on me and I无毛视频檝e got to make plays for him, hurt finger or not.无毛视频�
Can he wrap it?
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 nothing you can do with a dislocated finger,无毛视频� Moncrief said. 无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檝e got to tough out the pain and go.无毛视频�
JuJu Smith-Schuster may have to do the same. The Steelers无毛视频� other starting wide receiver was limited in Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice with the ankle he injured Sunday night. Sean Davis also was limited with an injured ankle and Maurkice Pouncey missed practice with an injured knee.
GET THE STINK OFF
Jerome Bettis was NOT in the locker room Wednesday to audition for the fullback job left open by the injured Rosie Nix. Bettis is doing work for NFL Network. The former Steelers great also had some advice for dealing with embarrassing losses.
无毛视频淚n terms of being embarrassed, you have to say to yourself, to a man, 无毛视频業无毛视频檝e got to make a difference. I无毛视频檝e got to play better,'无毛视频� said Bettis. 无毛视频淪o if each man takes that and it becomes a collective thought, it should lead to a better outcome.
无毛视频淎nd then you have to take it to the practice field. As long as everybody无毛视频檚 getting after it at practice, and you understand the significance of practice, and you take that level up, then I think they无毛视频檒l be fine.无毛视频�
Roethlisberger accomplished the first step. He told reporters early in the day that the team will improve if he does.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 only going to focus on the quarterback play because that无毛视频檚 what I control,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭he quarterback无毛视频檚 got to get better.无毛视频�
Part Two of the Bettis formula was accomplished during a nasty, hot practice that turned salty when veterans 无毛视频� Ramon Foster in particular 无毛视频� demanded better and more detailed work from everyone.
无毛视频淥f course he was shouting. We needed that,无毛视频� David DeCastro said of his linemate. 无毛视频淗e无毛视频檚 a leader. Obviously, everyone无毛视频檚 sore and feeling sorry for themselves. At the same time you无毛视频檝e got to fight through that 无毛视频� at least be on the details. That was what he was trying to say.无毛视频�
无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檝e got to recognize what无毛视频檚 in front of you, that无毛视频檚 all,无毛视频� said Foster. 无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檝e got to shake everything that无毛视频檚 happened, and Wednesday无毛视频檚 usually the day for that. And, it无毛视频檚 fitting that it无毛视频檚 super hot and we无毛视频檙e in full pads today, so everything piles on, but in a good way. Thursday will be a whole lot better.无毛视频�
DeCastro called the practice 无毛视频渟loppy, salty, a little bit of both.无毛视频�
Said Foster: 无毛视频淵ou want everything to be perfect the next time around. That无毛视频檚 what you practice for. You practice to clean up mistakes. You practice to be better. I just got frustrated. I无毛视频檓 not about wasting time. I无毛视频檓 all about maximizing everything. I want to get this stink off worse than anybody, and as quickly as possible.无毛视频�
FULLBACK TRYOUTS?
No one knew anything about anyone on defense working at fullback, as Mike Tomlin had suggested at his Tuesday press conference.
In fact, the player most surprised was the player Tomlin was asked about, Tyler Matakevich.
无毛视频淣obody here has told me that,无毛视频� said the disbelieving Matakevich. 无毛视频淭he first time I heard that was from you guys.无毛视频�
But, it does make sense, doesn无毛视频檛 it?
无毛视频淎 little bit, yeah,无毛视频� said the 235-pound inside linebacker. 无毛视频淚 mean, shoot, I can. Yeah, I can do that. I was a tailback back in the day. Fullback无毛视频檚 the same thing. I had to block. But, nah, nobody无毛视频檚 said anything like that to me.无毛视频�
What about Javon Hargrave?
The nose tackle who无毛视频檚 nicknamed 无毛视频淲obble无毛视频� played both tailback and fullback in high school. At 6-1 he无毛视频檚 an inch taller than Matakevich, and 75 pounds heavier.
无毛视频淚f I can get some carries I无毛视频檒l play it,无毛视频� Hargrave said. 无毛视频淚 can do it, of course, but I don无毛视频檛 know. I haven无毛视频檛 heard anything.无毛视频�
无毛视频淗mmmm,无毛视频� said DeCastro as he pondered Hargrave at fullback. 无毛视频淕ood leverage I would think. Now you无毛视频檝e got me looking forward to tomorrow无毛视频檚 tryout.无毛视频�