Steelers believe they have a match to Vontaze Burfict in fullback Rosie Nix
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Vontaze Burfict鈥檚 reputation is well known.
The Bengals鈥� stud MLB isn鈥檛 afraid to meet you in the hole, ring your bell and then let you hear about it afterwards. A grinder that talks the talk after he walks the walk, Burfict will do it over and over and over again.
Burfict leads the Bengals with 92 tackles despite missing the first three games of the season, including the Week 2 matchup with the Steelers, due to a suspension stemming from his blindside hit on Antonio Brown in the 2015 AFC Wild Card game. Burfict racked up 44 total tackles in six career matchups with the Steelers, averaging 7.3 per game, that ranks second for him against any single opponent.
The Steelers are aware of Burfict鈥檚 tendencies, both before and after the whistle, as Cincinnati鈥檚 defensive enforcer. But they believe they have one to match in fullback Rosie Nix. According to his teammates, Nix isn鈥檛 one to shy away from giving an opponent a piece of his mind, either.
鈥淗e鈥檚 always talking, he鈥檚 always going. You always know when he鈥檚 in there and he makes it fun,鈥� guard David DeCastro said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 trash (talking), but yeah, he鈥檚 always kind of going. Some guys are like that. 鈥� Some guys are on the football field and sometimes those guys are like that. 鈥� You get in the situation where emotions run high and you start talking, and whatever works, I guess.鈥�
Nix has paved the way as a lead blocker during Le鈥橵eon Bell鈥檚 recent tear of four-straight 100-plus rushing yard performances, including a franchise-record 236 against the Bills last weekend. On tape, Sunday was Nix鈥檚 best game to date as he鈥檚 been incrementally inserted into more offensive packages since returning from a back injury that cost him the first half of the season.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 singly involved for (Bell), but it just feels good to make the position relevant,鈥� Nix said. 鈥淎 win is always rewarding. Then, to see a guy like Le鈥橵eon get the yards and the accolades that he got is rewarding in itself. My job is to block and watch him be successful, and that鈥檚 what happened.鈥�
There aren鈥檛 many traditional fullbacks left in the NFL with the direction the league has taken over the last 10 years, placing an increased emphasis on pass-heavy offenses. Nix plays with an old-school mean streak, however. With that, talking sometimes comes with the territory.
Against the Bills, Nix and LB Brandon Spikes exchanged a few words before the game prior to clashing in several one-on-one matchups. Nix got the better of him.
鈥淵ou hear linebackers and (Nix) going at it because the two guys are meeting in the hole,鈥� said Ben Roethlisberger. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the old Oklahoma drill where it鈥檚 one-on-one in the hole, and it鈥檚 the low man or the guy with the more want who鈥檚 going to win. So, it鈥檚 a nasty part of the job, but I think he embraces it and loves it.鈥�
On Sunday, Nix will again embrace the 鈥渘asty鈥� part of the job in facing Burfict.
鈥淏urfict鈥檚 a good player. High-energy, very active, and he鈥檚 a big guy too,鈥� Nix said. 鈥淪omebody who plays with a lot of energy and a high motor, you just prepare for it. Hopefully, we can avoid all that (trash talking) stuff and just play a good game football. I don鈥檛 plan on him doing anything crazy.鈥�
If Burfict does, Nix won鈥檛 be one to react.
鈥淣obody can get me riled up but me,鈥� he said.