Shazier breaks down Colts offense
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Ryan Shazier broke down the Indianapolis Colts by the basics.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got a great quarterback in Andrew Luck and a really solid running game with Frank Gore,鈥� said the Steelers inside linebacker. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a downhill, hard-nosed runner, but they have a lot of weapons outside, too. We鈥檝e got to 鈥撯��
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Did he say Andrew Luck?
Isn鈥檛 Luck going to miss the game with a concussion?
鈥淗ey,鈥� Shazier said as he leaned in. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen a lot of people say they鈥檙e not going to play and they end up playing. I鈥檓 going to keep practicing for him until I see he鈥檚 not on the field myself.鈥�
That鈥檚 how the Steelers are preparing, as if Luck鈥檚 going to play for the Colts on Thursday night.
But getting out of concussion protocol that soon after suffering a head injury last Sunday will be difficult. The Colts seem resigned to having Scott Tolzien start in place of Luck.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 really know,鈥� said Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton. 鈥淚f (Luck) plays, that would be great. If not, then we go out there and find a way to win.鈥�
That won鈥檛 be easy against a Steelers team that defeated the Colts 45-10 and 51-34 the last two seasons.
Last year, the injured Luck was replaced by the since-retired Matt Hasselbeck, whose place on the roster has been taken by Tolzien, a sixth-year pro who鈥檚 started two games and played in six since coming out of Wisconsin in 2011.
Tolzien signed after the draft with the San Francisco 49ers, started two games for the Green Bay Packers in 2013 and signed with the Colts as a free agent last March. This preseason he completed 41-of-62 passes with a passer rating of 87.4.
Tolzien鈥檚 claim to fame might be directing Wisconsin to an upset win over then-No. 1 Ohio State in 2010. It was the only loss that season for the Buckeyes.
鈥淵eah, I remember,鈥� sighed Cameron Heyward, then a senior at Ohio State. 鈥淭hey were mostly a running offense, but I think he gave them the flexibility to mix it up a little bit, whether it was just being a game manager. At Wisconsin they don鈥檛 really trust that many quarterbacks to do much passing, but I thought he did an adequate job.鈥�
The Colts offered more in the way of a scouting report on Tolzien.
鈥淗e was with us in OTAs and training camp,鈥� said Hilton. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy we can trust. He鈥檚 a vet who knows how to prepare the right way.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 a pro鈥檚 pro,鈥� said Coach Chuck Pagano. 鈥淗e handles his business day in and day out, just like you鈥檇 want a backup quarterback to do. He鈥檚 a talented guy. He鈥檚 a smart guy. He makes great decisions. He鈥檚 got arm talent. He can make all the throws. Again, he understands and knows our system inside and out. If he鈥檚 got to step out there, he鈥檒l do a great job. It doesn鈥檛 fall on one guy鈥檚 shoulders but we all understand the magnitude and the importance of getting good play from that position. He鈥檚 an athletic guy. He鈥檚 a mobile guy. If he gets the opportunity, we鈥檙e preparing for him to go out and play winning football.鈥�
CAM TURNS CHEERLEADER
Heyward returned to the locker room for the first time Tuesday since tearing a pectoral muscle against the Dallas Cowboys. He鈥檚 out for the season, but will be around in case anyone needs him.
鈥淛ust trying to relate the things the coaches are saying to the players and just try to be honest,鈥� he said. 鈥淥bviously, I can鈥檛 do what I want to do. Can鈥檛 be out there. But I鈥檓 going to be the biggest supporter. I鈥檓 going to be the biggest cheerleader for these guys.鈥�
BELL FEELING FRESH
Even though Le鈥橵eon Bell was coming off the heaviest workload of his four-year professional career, the Steelers running back said he felt fine and is looking forward to another game Thursday night.
鈥淵eah, I feel good,鈥� Bell said after Tuesday鈥檚 walk-through practice. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 take any really hard hits. The offensive line did a good job of opening up holes so it made my job a lot easier. I didn鈥檛 have to bang my way in there a lot, and I got out of bounds when I could.鈥�
Bell carried 28 times, the most in two years, and gained a season-high 146 yards. He also caught eight passes for 55 yards, giving him 36 touches on 201 carries. His previous high was 35 touches for 222 yards on Nov. 17, 2014 at Tennessee. In the ensuing game, Bell touched the ball 29 times for 180 yards against New Orleans.
鈥淚 think today I felt better than I would on a normal Tuesday,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淚 ran yesterday and I ran a bit today, so it felt good just to get the body moving and get prepared for the week.鈥�
Bell said the more difficult task will be 鈥渏amming the whole game plan in the midst of two, three days,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 too much on the body. I think once Thursday night gets here everybody鈥檚 body鈥檚 going to feel good. We鈥檙e used to practicing on Thursday, so once it gets to Thursday night it won鈥檛 affect the way we feel too much.鈥�
QUOTABLE
Stephon Tuitt upon hearing the news that Notre Dame must forfeit all of its wins from the 2012-13 seasons:
鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe that. We have to vacate all the wins we had. Basically everything we did is thrown away.鈥�