Steelers focused on Jacksonville, not Bell
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Similar to the girl you 鈥渓ike like鈥� in high school, the Le鈥橵eon Bell story is 鈥�
鈥淥ver over,鈥� said Steelers guard David DeCastro with a gleam in his eye.
Not that he was happy Bell has quit on the Steelers鈥� season. DeCastro just didn鈥檛 want to answer the question anymore.
鈥淲e can just move on, keep giving James (Conner) some more yards, and keep winning some games,鈥� DeCastro said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a fun roll. The season goes by a lot faster when you鈥檙e winning games.鈥�
As opposed to answering questions about who鈥檚 not in the locker room.
In fact, all evidence of Bell was plundered from of his old locker by former teammates. The name plate was taken down at lunch. The shoes, shirts, sweats, hats were gobbled up after practice.
Did the players, who鈥檝e sweated to get to 6-2-1 without their two-time team MVP, want to talk about it?
鈥淣ot going to happen,鈥� said Maurkice Pouncey.
鈥淣o, sir,鈥� said Alejandro Villanueva.
鈥淗e鈥檚 not here, he鈥檚 not going to be here, so we don鈥檛 talk about it,鈥� said Ben Roethlisberger. 鈥淚 texted him (Tuesday) before the deadline saying I hope he鈥檚 going to show up, and if he decided not to then I wish him the best. He was a great teammate here, a great football player. To each his own on what they want to walk away from.鈥�
Did Bell text him back?
鈥淣ope,鈥� Roethlisberger said.
Roethlisberger then transitioned easily to this week鈥檚 game, and there was no doubt it鈥檚 foremost on his mind.
鈥淭he number one focus is Jacksonville,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淭hey are a great defense. This is probably going to be the biggest test and challenge for us as an offense. It鈥檚 a big one.鈥�
The concern is a real one, even though the Steelers are riding a five-game winning streak and the Jaguars are skidding with a five-game losing streak. The Jaguars, of course, beat the Steelers twice at Heinz Field last season, the second one an elimination game.
In the 30-9 regular-season loss, Roethlisberger threw a career-high five interceptions and the run defense was gashed for 231 yards on the ground.
It left Roethlisberger questioning himself after the game and left the run defense jumpy for the return match in the playoffs. That鈥檚 when Jaguars QB Blake Bortles used the echoes of that regular-season game to throw effectively off play-action in a 45-42 upset win in the playoffs.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly what happened,鈥� said cornerback Mike Hilton. 鈥淚n that first game, they were just 鈥榬un the ball, run the ball, run the ball.鈥� They had success doing it. That was the formula we expected going into that playoff game, and Bortles exploded. We鈥檝e got to be prepared. We鈥檝e got to slow down their running game.鈥�
Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 290 yards and five touchdowns in the two games last season, is back in the lineup after missing four games with a hamstring injury. He returned last week and rushed for 53 yards, had 56 yards receiving, and scored two touchdowns in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The problem for the 3-6 Jaguars is an offensive line that鈥檚 without the three starters on the left side who bullied the Steelers last season. Left tackle Cam Robinson went on IR in the second week; left guard Patrick Omameh left in free agency (but re-signed with the Jaguars this week); and center Brandon Linder was recently put on IR.
鈥淲e鈥檝e still got to get after them,鈥� said Cameron Heyward. 鈥淚njuries are part of the game. We鈥檝e had our share throughout the year, and our O-line in past years. You can say what you say about their offensive line, and say they have injuries, but if we don鈥檛 take advantage of that it really doesn鈥檛 matter.鈥�
The Steelers were a beat up along the defensive line last year as well. Stephon Tuitt was playing with a badly damaged right arm and Javon Hargrave was on and off the injury list the week of the game and played sparingly. He was spelled by L.T. Walton, who鈥檚 more of a 5-tech than a nose tackle.
鈥淚 was banged up pretty bad,鈥� said Hargrave, who wouldn鈥檛 elaborate, only to say, 鈥淚 was bad. I can say that. I had a little situation going on at the time. But that was last year. I feel good this year. Ready to get it going.鈥�
The defensive line has played much better this season. A run defense that allowed 5.1 yards per carry in the final six games last season is allowing 4.1 yards per carry through nine games this season.
Of course, the Steelers also expect improvement from Roethlisberger, who, in the first six quarters against Jacksonville last season threw six interceptions, turned the ball over for three touchdowns, and compiled a passer rating of 56.4 as the Jaguars outscored the Steelers, 58-23.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers rallied with 28 points in the second half of the playoff loss.
鈥淔rom front to back they are really good, they are really fast,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淎 lot of teams say it starts up front with their pass rush, and this group has an unbelievable pass rush with their front four. Their linebackers are some of the fastest you will ever play against, and their secondary is as good of a secondary as you are going to play. So, really there is really nowhere to start and finish with this group. Like I said, this will definitely be the biggest challenge for us.鈥�
Will the Steelers have more respect for the Jaguars this time?
鈥淲ell, there was respect the last time we played them, there鈥檚 no doubt,鈥� Roethlisberger said. 鈥淎t least from me. We heard a lot going into it from other players and whatnot, but for me, I respect the heck out of that whole group.鈥�
Those players 鈥� Bell and Mike Mitchell, players who disrespected the Jaguars before the game 鈥� are gone.
One last chance for Roethlisberger to address those guys? He declined.
鈥淭he good thing,鈥� Roethlisberger said, 鈥渋s we don鈥檛 have to talk about it anymore.鈥�
The same might be said of Jacksonville after Sunday鈥檚 game.
NOTES: The NFL moved the Dec. 2 Steelers home game against the Los Angeles Chargers to 8:20 p.m. 鈥� Roethlisberger (coach鈥檚 decision), Tuitt (elbow) and RT Marcus Gilbert (knee) missed Wednesday鈥檚 practice. Conner participated fully and ran through his protocol test afterward. He expects to be cleared to play the rest of the week.