Hubbard ready if needed
PITTSBURGH 鈥� They used to call him 鈥淢other鈥� Hubbard.
And then Chris Hubbard became a father.
On Thursday they were calling him the first-team left guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers after a pair of injuries caused the third-year pro to become the likely Next Man Up for Sunday night鈥檚 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
鈥淭oday I had to step up,鈥� said Hubbard. 鈥淵ou never know how this business goes, man. You鈥檝e just always got to be prepared.鈥�
B.J. Finney, who had been promoted to LG1 following Ramon Foster鈥檚 bruised sternum, got a finger caught in a facemask early in Thursday鈥檚 practice. The injury was diagnosed as a 鈥渄ouble dislocation鈥� and the prognosis for recovery is wide: Either Finney returns to practice Friday or he鈥檚 out four-to-six weeks.
The Steelers were unsure late Thursday afternoon, but since Finney is a first-year player without a start on his resume, his chances of starting aren鈥檛 good after missing one practice already. That makes Hubbard the likely starter.
鈥淚鈥檓 rooting for both of those guys,鈥� said Foster. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big game. It鈥檚 an AFC game, a Sunday night game. They get to say their school, their university, all of that stuff goes into it. But it鈥檚 their play that鈥檚 what鈥檚 going to determine the outcome for us.鈥�
Foster tried to play last week with his injury but had to leave late in the first half and was replaced by Finney.
鈥淧robably should鈥檝e just set back,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淚 pushed it a little bit.鈥�
The recovery period?
鈥淣o big deal, just time,鈥� he said.
Finney practiced Wednesday, and then Hubbard, father of 10-day-old Creed Hubbard, took over the position Thursday.
Hubbard has 10 games under his belt, all as a reserve. He spent 2013 on the practice squad, played in one game in 2014, seven games last season and then the two playoff games last January. The 25-year-old and his wife had their first child last Tuesday and he claims to still have that first-time fatherly glow.
鈥淎w, yeah, man. That鈥檚 the fire behind me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my motivation.鈥�
So is Dontari Poe, the 346-pound nose tackle for the Chiefs.
鈥淚t is what it is,鈥� Hubbard said of the king-sized Poe. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be prepared.鈥�
The guy lining up to Hubbard鈥檚 left says Hubbard will be prepared.
鈥淗e knows the offense,鈥� said Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been in the system longer than I have, so he knows how to execute all the plays. He鈥檚 very athletic, he鈥檚 played football for a very long time, he鈥檚 played at this position for a very long time as well, so I think he鈥檚 going to do just fine. He鈥檚 got a lot more going on than I did when I was making my first start last year.鈥�
Villanueva made his first start against the Chiefs last Oct. 25 at Arrowhead Stadium. He allowed Tamba Hali two sacks and said after reviewing the film, 鈥淢y sets were horrible. I was terrible. I was too slow off the ball. There are a lot of things that I obviously noticed that I鈥檝e changed since last year.鈥�
Villanueva will see Hali again, along with some Dee Ford and backup OLB Frank Zombo. A little further inside will be DE Allen Bailey and then Poe at the nose. Those are the guys who鈥檒l concern Hubbard.
鈥淚 have no doubt in my mind that he鈥檚 going to go out there and execute and do well,鈥� Villanueva said.
NOTES 鈥� The Steelers released running back Daryl Richardson to make room for Le鈥橵eon Bell. Richardson played in all three games this season and carried twice for seven yards. He鈥檚 eligible for the practice squad if he clears waivers. 鈥� Sitting out Thursday鈥檚 practice along with Foster and Finney were S Sean Davis (back), S Robert Golden (hamstring), WR Eli Rogers (toe), ILB Ryan Shazier (knee) and C-G Cody Wallace (knee). Fullback Roosevelt Nix (back) was limited in his participation.