Ladarius Green to meet with Mike Tomlin about return
PITTSBURGH 鈥揕adarius Green said he planned to have a conversation on Monday afternoon with coach Mike Tomlin to decide whether he鈥檒l practice this week. Green is eligible to return from the physically unable to perform list, and the Steelers then have 21 days to activate him once he begins practicing.
鈥淓verything is getting better, everything has progressed pretty well,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just waiting to get the word.鈥�
Green said he has voiced he desire to begin practicing to Tomlin.
鈥淗e knows I want to be out there, but it鈥檚 up to him to do what鈥檚 best for the team,鈥� Green said. 鈥淚鈥檝e agreed with everything he decides like I鈥檝e been doing, and he鈥檒l make the right decision.鈥�
When Green does return, the Steelers will have a decision to make at tight end. Xavier Grimble or Davis Johnson could get released, or the team could keep four tight ends on the roster and cut someone elsewhere to make room for Green.
NOTEWORTHY
鈥� The bye week will serve to heal many Steelers鈥� injuries. OL Marcus Gilbert hoped to play against the Patriots, but expects to return from his ankle injury after the bye week. He plans to participate in individual drills this week. DL Cameron Heyward and WR Markus Wheaton said they are aiming for a Nov. 6 return against the Ravens, as well. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the goal,鈥� Heyward said. 鈥�(I鈥檝e) got an extra week this week. Hopefully try to get my conditioning back with my cardio and keep progressing the right way.鈥�
n The Steelers can designate one player for return off the injured reserve list, and Bud Dupree wants to be that guy. Dupree said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 been killing him not to be out there鈥�, but he鈥檚 made significant progress in returning from his groin injury that has sidelined him since training camp. 鈥淭he training staff doing a great job with me,鈥� Dupree said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 healed up perfect. I鈥檓 doing a lot of agility stuff and trying to get back.鈥� An ideal time for Dupree to return would be Week 10 against the Cowboys. 鈥淵eah, I can do that definitely,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready for it. Whenever it happens, it happens.鈥�
n Wheaton confirmed that he re-aggravated his shoulder sprain on a pass across the middle during the Week 4 game against the Jets. Wheaton is taking the proper precautions to make sure he can finish out the season, which is a contract year for him. 鈥淛ust keep rehabbing, keep strengthening the muscles around it,鈥� Wheaton said. 鈥淥bviously, your body will heal with time. So just the time itself will be good for me, as it will for everybody else that鈥檚 injured.鈥�
n Despite his holding call that took away a touchdown from the Steelers in the second quarter against the Patriots, OL Chris Hubbard has filled in admirably over the last three weeks in place of Marcus Gilbert. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always telling me about hands, hands, always use your hands,鈥� Hubbard said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big thing. We鈥檝e got a great relationship as far as me moving to tackle. He鈥檚 helped me out a lot.鈥� Gilbert noted Hubbard鈥檚 ability to learn on the fly, and to put constructive criticism to action as a key role in his relative success. Even while playing out of his natural position. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy that does well to listen and take advice, but he鈥檚 responded to it as well,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淎 guy like that, you can appreciate him because he does everything that鈥檚 asked.鈥�
n Gilbert said he expects to return after the bye week from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since the Chiefs game. He said it will start with individual drills this week before the five days off during the bye, and then he鈥檒l see how it goes from there. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a lot of bodies dinged up and we need to get some rest, healed up and really take advantage of this bye week,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淕uys need to get treatments set ahead of schedule with those sorts of things. With me, I鈥檓 really going to need this and I鈥檒l take advantage of it.鈥�
n K Chris Boswell wasn鈥檛 satisfied with his performance Sunday, but he didn鈥檛 blame the two missed attempts on the Heinz Field conditions. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 dwell on it, and I鈥檓 not going to. It鈥檚 just back to the basics and starting fresh this week.鈥� Patriots kicker Stephen Gostowski, known for his accuracy, missed an extra point, as well. 鈥淚t was just about us missing,鈥� Boswell said. 鈥淚t had nothing to do with the field or any of the conditions. We just didn鈥檛 execute.鈥�
n DL Stephon Tuitt said that when the Steelers fail to stop the run, it makes their ability to accumulate sacks all the more difficult. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to be able to rush the passer because you鈥檒l have a different mentality,鈥� Tuitt said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to think about stopping the run first and you鈥檒l react a lot slower. Just trying to get off the field. By doing that, we put ourselves in better situations. Especially on third down for us to be able to retaliate and do what we do.鈥� The Patriots were 7 of 12 on third downs.
BY THE NUMBERS
6-3: Tomlin鈥檚 record after the bye week, though he鈥檚 lost two straight after beginning his career with a 6-1 record.