‘Iron Mac’ changing the dynamics of Steelers offense
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Mike Tomlin talked Tuesday about the improvement made by the Cleveland Browns since the opener.
He talked first about rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, the first pick of this year鈥檚 draft who stepped in for the injured starter and rallied the Browns to their first win in two seasons. Mayfield then directed a win over the Baltimore Ravens two weeks later.
The second name out of Tomlin鈥檚 mouth was David Njoku, the Browns鈥� second-year tight end. The 2017 first-round pick caught three passes for only 13 yards against the Steelers in the opener, but in the last three games he鈥檚 averaged 5.3 catches for 53 yards per game. His 15-yard touchdown catch last week was his second of the season.
So, OK, the Browns are making improvement at the tight end position. But it鈥檚 nothing like the improvement Vance McDonald is showing for the Steelers.
鈥淵eah, Njokus鈥檚 playing really well. Coach showed us some clips today,鈥� said Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey. 鈥淏ut he can鈥檛 compare to Vance.鈥�
McDonald didn鈥檛 play the opener in Cleveland, but has since become something of a Pittsburgh phenomenon with his bruising running style in the vein of another No. 89, former great Mike Ditka.
Not that the comparison is new to McDonald, though.
鈥淲hen I was a rookie,鈥� said McDonald, 鈥淐oach (Jim) Harbaugh tried to steer me down that path, so, yeah, I watched a little Ditka tape.鈥�
鈥淚ron Mac鈥� has been the ideal comparison for Steelers fans ever since McDonald violently stiff-armed Tampa Bay safety Chris Conte on his way to a 75-yard touchdown catch. Since then, McDonald has brutalized linebackers and safeties the way Harbaugh once envisioned.
鈥淲hen Vance McDonald gets here,鈥� Harbaugh told NFL Network on draft day 鈥�13, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to try to get him in the No. 89. Because what I have come to know of 鈥業ron鈥� Mike Ditka and the respect that I have for him through the years, I can鈥檛 wait for Coach Ditka to see Vance McDonald. Because I believe he鈥檚 going to see some very good similarities.鈥�
However, it wasn鈥檛 until McDonald鈥檚 third year with the 49ers that the comparison came to life. McDonald ran over an Arizona Cardinals safety and a columnist for the Sacramento Bee called Ditka.
鈥淗e looks very good,鈥� Ditka said that day, the second game he had watched McDonald play. 鈥淚f those two games were his best, he鈥檚 going to have better ones to come.鈥�
But they never really came, at least in San Francisco. McDonald finished that 2015 season with a career-high 30 catches, and then caught 24 in 2016 before the 49ers stunned McDonald by trading him to the Steelers just before the start of the 2017 season.
McDonald鈥檚 been in and out of the lineup with injuries, but appears on his way to shattering his career numbers this season. He鈥檚 moved next to Ben Roethlisberger in the locker room and is developing into that security blanket Roethlisberger鈥檚 missed since Heath Miller retired.
And that鈥檚 the other comparison being made in the Steelers鈥� locker room these days.
鈥淗e鈥檚 great. He鈥檚 all-around great,鈥� Pouncey said of McDonald. 鈥淗e reminds me a lot of Heath (Miller), the way he carries himself. Obviously, he has the physical ability to be better than Heath in a way, because of how fast he can run, the routes he does. Hands down, man, he鈥檚 one of the coolest guys on the team, one of my favorite guys the way he works. He doesn鈥檛 say much at all, but I watch him on film and tell him all the time, man, I love that (stuff).鈥�
In his five games this season, McDonald has 20 catches for 274 yards, an average of four catches for 55 yards per game.
That鈥檚 well above his average from last year, when he averaged 1.4 catches for 18.8 yards per game. And that was better than his average per game in San Francisco, where he averaged 1.3 catches for 18 yards per game.
But McDonald鈥檚 finally realizing his potential now, and inspiring teammates by the way he does it.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 get to see it until we come back and watch film,鈥� Pouncey said. 鈥淭hen we see some of the things he does like knocking guys down, hitting one guy and going to the next guy. Man, if Vance stays healthy, he鈥檚 going to be one of those guys people talk about for a long time.鈥�
NOTES: Roethlisberger had a sparkle in his eyes while talking about how good he鈥檚 feeling coming out of the bye week. 鈥淚 feel better, especially my knees,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a couple knee surgeries and for those not to have fluid on them or have to ice them every day is really beneficial.鈥� 鈥� Morgan Burnett missed the last four games with a groin injury, but returned to practice Wednesday. Teammate Mike Hilton confirmed that Burnett played the dime linebacker spot that had been previously manned by 188-pound cornerback Cam Sutton. Burnett is a 209-pound safety. 鈥� L.J. Fort (ankle) was also a full participant, but TE Xavier Grimble (concussion) and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (ankle) were limited.