Jones likely to get start with Roethlisberger sidelined
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Ben Roethlisberger underwent surgery to trim some of the meniscus from his left knee, and according to a statement issued by Mike Tomlin, the Steelers 鈥渁re confident the injury is not long term.鈥�
It鈥檚 expected to be at worst a three-week injury, but Roethlisberger鈥檚 assumed replacement, Landry Jones, believes Roethlisberger could even play this week.
鈥淧hilip Rivers did it, didn鈥檛 he?鈥� Jones asked of the San Diego quarterback, who returned in six days for the AFC Championship Game following the 2007 season.
鈥淵ou never know what鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� Jones said.
The most likely scenario has Jones taking the snaps against the 5-1 New England Patriots on Sunday at Heinz Field, and he said he鈥檚 never been more prepared.
鈥淚鈥檝e been here four years now and nothing has really changed,鈥� said Jones. 鈥淏eing at the same place, having the same offensive coordinator and learning the same thing, you know it in and out. Obviously there are things to grow and game experience, but as far as the offense is concerned I feel like I have it down pretty well.鈥�
Jones started two games last season and played in seven, counting the playoff game at Cincinnati. The Steelers were 1-1 in his starts (lost at Kansas City, won vs. Cleveland) and Jones 鈥渟aved鈥� a win against Arizona in relief of Michael Vick. Jones pulled out a win in relief against Oakland with a game-winning field goal drive, and almost blew a 鈥渟ave鈥� in the playoff game before Roethlisberger returned to pull out the win, with help of course from Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones.
Overall, Jones鈥� passer rating last season was 67.6. That came on the heels of a busy preseason in which he compiled a passer rating of 76.5. His preseason passer rating this year was 71.4, but guard Ramon Foster believes Jones was better this preseason.
鈥淗e was. He鈥檚 grown,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淭he thing is it鈥檚 shown that he鈥檚 grown. He doesn鈥檛 want to repeat back to last year. He wants to be a guy on the rise. He鈥檚 got a lot at stake, too. This is the fourth year of his contract. Decisions have to be made, and I know he鈥檚 facing that window right there, too, so it鈥檚 time for him to show us.鈥�
Le鈥橵eon Bell believes the practice week will be beneficial for Jones.
鈥淲e鈥檝e just got to get Landry confidence,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淲hen he鈥檚 confident, he makes plays. When he has a pep in his step, I think Landry can strike and do a lot of good things. He鈥檚 not as comfortable as Ben is, so we鈥檝e got to get him to the point where he鈥檚 real confident and feels like he can do no wrong. That鈥檚 when he can strike. We don鈥檛 want him tense and thinking about too many things at once.鈥�
Another 鈥淏ig L鈥�
Perhaps Landry can be helped by the Steelers debut of 6-5 3/4 tight end Ladarius Green, who discussed with the coaching staff Monday his potential to practice this week.
Green, of course, has been on the PUP list since the start of training camp and is eligible to come off this week. He has five weeks to begin practicing, and once he begins practicing the Steelers have 21 days to activate him. If either deadline passes, Green must remain on the PUP list the remainder of the season.
He said he鈥檚 ready now and awaits Tomlin鈥檚 decision before Wednesday鈥檚 practice.
鈥淚 feel pretty good,鈥� Green said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a while since I鈥檝e played, as you guys know. It鈥檚 been a while since I even practiced, so I feel good about it. I鈥檓 excited to ge back out there and see what I can do.鈥�
Green has worked through head and ankle issues since he signed a four-year $20 million contract last March as the team鈥檚 premium free agent. He missed every spring and summer as he worked on the sideline with trainers. He said the final sticking point was his jumping ability, that he had trouble 鈥済etting a real spring off this ankle, but it鈥檚 come a long way.鈥�
Has this been his longest layoff in football?
鈥淵es it is,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 been forever. Feel like I retired and came back. It鈥檚 been a while, but I鈥檓 excited about it.鈥�
Green last year caught 37 passes for 429 yards and four touchdowns before missing the final game with his injury. His career average per catch is 14.1 yards, with a long of 60. He鈥檚 been considered a deep threat ever since coming out of Lousiana-Lafayette and running a 4.56 40 at the 2012 Combine.
Mentally, Green said he鈥檚 studied and been drilled on the playbook, but transferring it to the field is the big question.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a big difference,鈥� he said.
Could he play against New England?
鈥淚 hope so but I don鈥檛 know,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 up to the coach.鈥�
What could he bring to the team?
鈥淗opefully I can bring something,鈥� Green said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to make the team, really, because I haven鈥檛 shown anything. They don鈥檛 know what I can do and the tight ends have been playing well so far, so I鈥檓 just trying to get on the field right now.鈥�
鈥� And Le鈥橵eon
Wide receivers always want the ball, always tell everyone they want the ball, and often complain when they don鈥檛 get the ball enough.
Running backs, or more specifically Bell, don鈥檛 seem to care so much.
鈥淥f course, as a player you always want the ball,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut obviously when the play is called I鈥檓 going to go out there and run the play.鈥�
That was his response to not getting the ball on third-and-1 in Jones鈥� first series at quarterback in Miami, after Bell had carried three times for 26 yards during the possession.
Jones threw incomplete on the play, the Steelers punted and the Dolphins scored to take a 16-8 lead into the break.
Bell had carried eight times for 51 yards in the first half for a whopping average of 6.4 yards per carry, but in the second half carried twice. He totaled 10 carries for 53 yards rushing and caught six passes for another 55 yards.
Did he want the ball more often, particularly with Roethlisberger back in the game and limping?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really think too much about it,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淚 go out there and play football. If they give me the ball, I鈥檒l take it. I just want to do whatever it takes to win games, whether it鈥檚 me having the ball, taking it, catching it. I just want to win the game and we didn鈥檛 do that.鈥�
Will he ask coordinator Todd Haley to give him more of the load if a backup QB is playing next Sunday?
鈥淚 don鈥檛 say anything,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淚 let everything happen. Run the rock, I鈥檓 good with it. If not, I try to do whatever I can in the offense.鈥�