Jaguars’ Fournette not a fan of the cold
PITTSBURGH 鈥� The Steelers drafted Le鈥橵eon Bell for games like these.
Cold games like these.
A cold front rolling across the country will hit Western Pennsylvania early Saturday morning, and for kickoff Sunday (1 p.m.) the predicted temperature is 14 degrees. That would be the fourth coldest home game in Pittsburgh鈥檚 recorded NFL history.
In the three colder games, including this past New Year鈥檚 Eve win over Cleveland, the Steelers are 2-1.
And in those games, all three visitors traveled south to play.
But Jacksonville will make an 850-mile trek north, and the Jaguars are 0-4 all-time in weather colder than 28 degrees. The coldest weather in which the Jaguars have played was nine degrees in 2000, when they lost at Cincinnati, 17-14.
The Jaguars lost at Tennessee, 31-17, in 23-degree temperature this past New Year鈥檚 Eve. Six weeks earlier, star running back Leonard Fournette 鈥� born in New Orleans and schooled at LSU 鈥� lamented the potential of playing a cold game in Cleveland.
鈥淚 hate the cold period,鈥� Fournette told reporters, and added that his only experience in cold weather was a game at Arkansas in 33 degrees. He gained nine yards on five carries that day.
The temperature in Cleveland stayed above freezing, at 38 degrees, and Fournette rushed for 111 yards in a Jaguars win, but on that frigid New Year鈥檚 Eve in Tennessee he rushed for only 69 yards (19 carries) in a 15-10 loss.
鈥淚t took me a while to get used to it,鈥� said Steelers lineman Jerald Hawkins, one of Fournette鈥檚 teammate at LSU. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to affect him, too.鈥�
鈥淵eah, I think if it鈥檚 cold, guys not used to playing in the cold, always playing in the sun and humidity, yeah, I think it affects them a lot,鈥� said Bell, who rushed for 236 yards in a Buffalo blizzard in 27 degrees (18 wind chill), and 167 yards in 18 degrees (2 wind chill) when Miami came to Heinz Field in last season鈥檚 playoffs.
The Dolphins, like the current Jaguars, were a run-oriented team.
鈥淵eah, even a running team,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淐oach Tomlin said he drafted me over Eddie Lacy when I was coming out because I was so used to carrying the ball in the cold, getting hit in the cold. That was the biggest thing for him. It affects runners. It definitely affects guys who are tackling. When it鈥檚 cold outside I take a lot of pride because I know guys don鈥檛 want to tackle.鈥�
That was Fournette鈥檚 primary complaint about the cold. 鈥淵ou take a little hit and it hurts,鈥� he said back in November.
鈥淭o be honest, I don鈥檛 play any differently in the cold,鈥� said Bell. 鈥淚 play in cold weather the same as I play in hot, warm weather, whatever it is. It looks different because when it鈥檚 cold outside, guys play worse than they do when it鈥檚 hot or warm outside. I think that鈥檚 what makes me look different, but I go out there and play my same game. Other people kind of downgrade their game a little bit. That鈥檚 the biggest thing for me.鈥�
Like the Buffalo game?
鈥淏uffalo, the Miami Dolphins game, Kansas City,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of games where guys are cold and they don鈥檛 really want to make the tackle or fight off a block, and I take pride in that because I know that coming into the game.
鈥淪ome guys put on a front acting like they鈥檙e not cold. But I know. I know.鈥�
NOTES: CB Artie Burns (hyperextended knee), DL Stephon Tuitt (elbow tendinitis) and NT Javon Hargrave (back) sat out Thursday鈥檚 practice but all are expected to play Sunday.