Timing of Moncrief’s drops really hurt Steelers
PITTSBURGH 鈥� It wasn鈥檛 just the drops by Donte Moncrief that hurt his team in New England, it was the timing of them.
Moncrief, in his first game with the Steelers, dropped two fourth-down passes, another one in the end zone, and another early in the fourth quarter. He also looked over the wrong shoulder on a perfectly placed third-down fade pass by Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone that resulted in the field goal from the 1.
There鈥檚 bad, pretty bad, very bad, and 鈥�
鈥淪ickening,鈥� said Moncrief. 鈥淎fter we watched film, there was a feeling in my stomach. It hurt. I went home and went straight to sleep. I put that away. Now, it鈥檚 a new week. It鈥檚 time to go.鈥�
At the start of this new week, Moncrief was lifted by Roethlisberger, who came out of Moncrief鈥檚 injury-plagued training camp thinking very highly of the Steelers鈥� most expensive free agent acquisition.
鈥淪till do,鈥� said Roethlisberger. 鈥淣othing鈥檚 changed with that.鈥�
What does Roethlisberger see in him?
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 a smart receiver,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy that鈥檚 going to give you everything he鈥檚 got. He鈥檚 a veteran guy who鈥檚 been around. He can run. He can run different routes. He鈥檚 not just a deep-ball guy. And I really just like the personality that he has. He鈥檚 a guy who鈥檚 easy to talk to and will communicate back with you. So, I鈥檓 excited for him this week. I think we鈥檒l see some really good things.鈥�
Early in training camp, Moncrief dislocated his middle finger trying to catch a high, hot pass. He didn鈥檛 play much in preseason, but did drop a pass. He caught three others for only seven yards.
Is the finger still bothering him?
鈥淛ust a little bit,鈥� Moncrief said. 鈥淏ut you鈥檝e got to go with it. Even if it鈥檚 hurting or not, you鈥檝e got to still play. You鈥檝e just got to not think about it and just go. You鈥檝e got to go out there and make plays. He鈥檚 depending on me and I鈥檝e got to make plays for him, hurt finger or not.鈥�
Can he wrap it?
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing you can do with a dislocated finger,鈥� Moncrief said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to tough out the pain and go.鈥�
JuJu Smith-Schuster may have to do the same. The Steelers鈥� other starting wide receiver was limited in Wednesday鈥檚 practice with the ankle he injured Sunday night. Sean Davis also was limited with an injured ankle and Maurkice Pouncey missed practice with an injured knee.
GET THE STINK OFF
Jerome Bettis was NOT in the locker room Wednesday to audition for the fullback job left open by the injured Rosie Nix. Bettis is doing work for NFL Network. The former Steelers great also had some advice for dealing with embarrassing losses.
鈥淚n terms of being embarrassed, you have to say to yourself, to a man, 鈥業鈥檝e got to make a difference. I鈥檝e got to play better,'鈥� said Bettis. 鈥淪o if each man takes that and it becomes a collective thought, it should lead to a better outcome.
鈥淎nd then you have to take it to the practice field. As long as everybody鈥檚 getting after it at practice, and you understand the significance of practice, and you take that level up, then I think they鈥檒l be fine.鈥�
Roethlisberger accomplished the first step. He told reporters early in the day that the team will improve if he does.
鈥淚鈥檓 only going to focus on the quarterback play because that鈥檚 what I control,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he quarterback鈥檚 got to get better.鈥�
Part Two of the Bettis formula was accomplished during a nasty, hot practice that turned salty when veterans 鈥� Ramon Foster in particular 鈥� demanded better and more detailed work from everyone.
鈥淥f course he was shouting. We needed that,鈥� David DeCastro said of his linemate. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a leader. Obviously, everyone鈥檚 sore and feeling sorry for themselves. At the same time you鈥檝e got to fight through that 鈥� at least be on the details. That was what he was trying to say.鈥�
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to recognize what鈥檚 in front of you, that鈥檚 all,鈥� said Foster. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to shake everything that鈥檚 happened, and Wednesday鈥檚 usually the day for that. And, it鈥檚 fitting that it鈥檚 super hot and we鈥檙e in full pads today, so everything piles on, but in a good way. Thursday will be a whole lot better.鈥�
DeCastro called the practice 鈥渟loppy, salty, a little bit of both.鈥�
Said Foster: 鈥淵ou want everything to be perfect the next time around. That鈥檚 what you practice for. You practice to clean up mistakes. You practice to be better. I just got frustrated. I鈥檓 not about wasting time. I鈥檓 all about maximizing everything. I want to get this stink off worse than anybody, and as quickly as possible.鈥�
FULLBACK TRYOUTS?
No one knew anything about anyone on defense working at fullback, as Mike Tomlin had suggested at his Tuesday press conference.
In fact, the player most surprised was the player Tomlin was asked about, Tyler Matakevich.
鈥淣obody here has told me that,鈥� said the disbelieving Matakevich. 鈥淭he first time I heard that was from you guys.鈥�
But, it does make sense, doesn鈥檛 it?
鈥淎 little bit, yeah,鈥� said the 235-pound inside linebacker. 鈥淚 mean, shoot, I can. Yeah, I can do that. I was a tailback back in the day. Fullback鈥檚 the same thing. I had to block. But, nah, nobody鈥檚 said anything like that to me.鈥�
What about Javon Hargrave?
The nose tackle who鈥檚 nicknamed 鈥淲obble鈥� played both tailback and fullback in high school. At 6-1 he鈥檚 an inch taller than Matakevich, and 75 pounds heavier.
鈥淚f I can get some carries I鈥檒l play it,鈥� Hargrave said. 鈥淚 can do it, of course, but I don鈥檛 know. I haven鈥檛 heard anything.鈥�
鈥淗mmmm,鈥� said DeCastro as he pondered Hargrave at fullback. 鈥淕ood leverage I would think. Now you鈥檝e got me looking forward to tomorrow鈥檚 tryout.鈥�