Bullock living ‘life of specialist’
Mike Tomlin talked about Lawrence Timmons making the biggest defensive play in the win over the New York Giants, and said the touchdown drive following the Giants score off a Le鈥橵eon Bell fumble as the most significant offensive moment.
But the special-teams star of the game only received a secondary mention as someone whom Tomlin hopes doesn鈥檛 have to play.
鈥淚f (Chris) Boswell is healthy, he kicks,鈥� said Tomlin. 鈥淚f he isn鈥檛, we鈥檒l go with a guy named Randy Bullock.鈥�
A guy named Bullock.
That should be emblazoned across the back of the journeyman kicker鈥檚 shirt.
Even after making three field goals and an extra point in four kicks, after being with a team only 24 hours, Bullock is likely headed out of town soon, on his way to a new job.
鈥淪uch is life for specialists,鈥� Tomlin said.
The Steelers signed Bullock 鈥� whom they had worked out last year with the Boswell tryout group 鈥� in an emergency Saturday after Boswell had suffered an abdominal injury on Friday.
Bullock was an 81 percent kicker for the Houston Texans, New York Jets and New York Giants, and he delivered for the Steelers, making field goals of 44, 34 and 38 yards in a 24-14 win.
The Steelers released cornerback prospect Al-Hajj Shabazz to make the move, and then lost Shabazz on Monday to the Texans. The Steelers now have two kickers, and Tomlin said that Boswell 鈥渉as a legitimate chance this week.鈥�
Might Bullock鈥檚 strong performance allow the coach to be 鈥渕ore cautious鈥� with Boswell鈥檚 recovery?
鈥淲e鈥檙e not into the cautious mentality,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not. It鈥檚 December. If he鈥檚 healthy enough to kick, we鈥檙e going to play him.鈥�
(subhead)Not so special
On the other hand, special teams have been a problem of late in regard to penalties.
On Sunday, the Steelers returned only two kicks (both kickoffs) but committed four penalties (three accepted) on all Giants kicks. The Steelers also committed another penalty on one of their kicks.
The Steelers are 13th in the league overall in penalties but eighth in special-teams penalties with 15 for 121 yards this season.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just not performing as well as we鈥檇 like in that area right now and we鈥檝e got to do better,鈥� Tomlin said.
Injury update
The progress made by tight end Ladarius Green has helped, but the Steelers still need help at the skill positions. It appears Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) and DeAngelo Williams (knee) are coming to the rescue soon.
鈥淗opefully we push those guys toward some level of participation this week,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 probably more of a legitimate discussion with DeAngelo, but we鈥檒l leave the light on for both guys and see where the week leads us.鈥�
Steelers receivers not named Antonio Brown have gained only 101 receiving yards in the last three games combined. And Steelers running backs not named Le鈥橵eon Bell have gained only 29 yards in the last seven games combined 鈥� 28 of those were gained by Fitzgerald Toussaint against the Indianapolis Colts.
On Sunday, only Landry Jones, with his kneel-down, joined Bell on the rushing stat sheet.
Also on the injury front, DT Javon Hargrave and punt gunner Shamarko Thomas suffered concussions Sunday and are going through the protocol process.
Law dawg
Lawrence Timmons said following Sunday鈥檚 game that he hopes to re-sign with the Steelers after the season and play another five years. That would be fine with the Steelers if Timmons continues to play at such a high level.
Not only did Timmons make a leaping interception at the goal line Sunday and return it 58 yards, his blitz on a fourth-and-1 play in the third quarter caused Eli Manning to rush his throw incomplete from the Pittsburgh 3.
Timmons finished with seven tackles to share the team lead with Artie Burns and Sean Davis. Timmons now has 89 for the season, 32 more than the No. 2 tackler, Mike Mitchell.
Tomlin was asked if Sunday鈥檚 game was Timmons鈥� best this season, and why.
鈥淚 think, like our young guys, he鈥檚 finding his rhythm,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淢aybe a lot of that has to do with gaining continuity in terms of who you鈥檙e playing with. You know, he鈥檚 been in there alongside Ryan Shazier for a number of games now. I think Ryan鈥檚 been back five or six games and that continuity, that flow of communication, probably aides in play. But the direct answer to your question, I thought he played a better game in Cleveland a number of weeks back. I thought that was a significant contest.鈥�
Looking ahead
The Buffalo Bills (6-6), led by former Pitt runner Shady McCoy, lead the NFL in rushing, both per game (162) and per carry (5.4). McCoy has gained 949 yards at 5.5 per carry.
They Bills have also committed the fewest turnovers in the league (8).
鈥淚f you lead the league in rushing and don鈥檛 turn the ball over, you鈥檙e gong to be in every game you play,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e in every game they play.鈥�
The Bills also have the lowest-ranked pass offense with the help of the third-highest number of sacks allowed (35), but standout wide receiver Sammy Watkins will play in his third consecutive game after missing eight with a foot injury.
鈥淲hat we see from Watkins on tape might just be a splattering of what we should expect of what he鈥檚 capable of and we鈥檙e preparing with that in mind, a dynamic player who鈥檚 working his way back into the fold,鈥� Tomlin said. 鈥淲e just don鈥檛 want to be the group he explodes upon in terms of finding that traction.鈥�
Defensively, the Bills are eighth in pass defense, thanks to the third highest sacks total (33). They鈥檙e 26th against the run (4.1 ypc).
Quotable
What does Tomlin say to Sean Davis after intercepting a fourth-down pass so far away from the line of scrimmage?
鈥淚 tell him congratulations on his first NFL interception.鈥�