Friday, December 9
Week-to-week: Linebacker T.J. Watt was back on the practice field on Friday after missing the day before with a rib injury that happened in the Colts game two weeks ago.
Watt said his plan for playing this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens might not come until game day. He was limited in practice on Friday and is listed as questionable.
"It's a week-to-week thing," said Watt. "I'll have to see how I feel on Sunday. It felt decent today."
Watt has battled his share of injuries this year, starting in Week 1 when he suffered a pectoral injury that forced him out of the lineup until Week 10.
"It's tough," said Watt. "It's stuff out of my control. It's been one thing after another this year, but I don't want to miss any more games. I'm gonna try my best to make it happen each and every week."
With the Steelers winning three of the last four games Watt has returned for, he definitely doesn't want to be sidelined as he can feel the momentum building.
"Definitely getting some confidence," said Watt. "We're getting some takeaways. There were some big runs last week that we gave up that obviously we wish we could have back, but it means nothing if you don't keep trending in the right direction. We don't want to look too far in the future. We just want to have great days, great meetings, good practices, and I feel like we did that this week."
Oh Mama: Receiver Miles Boykin knows first-hand what the Steelers-Ravens rivalry is all about, even if this is his first year in the black and gold.
Boykin played his first three seasons in the NFL in Baltimore and knows what this game means.
"Definitely excited to get the chance to go up against them," said Boykin. "But at the same time, I can't let my emotions cloud my job, the game. I have to go out there and do my job.
"The fans are what makes it great. We were having a down year last year in Baltimore and I remember Harbs (Ravens Coach John Harbaugh) saying let's just go beat the Steelers. Let's worry about that. It's the same mentality here. We are trying to dig ourselves out of a hole and what better team to do it against than the Ravens. We have a chance to go against them twice in the last five games. It's exciting for me."
One thing that wasn't exciting for Boykin before he joined the Steelers this offseason as an unrestricted free agent was hearing "Renegade." But that has all changed now.
"On the other side, when that plays you can't hear a dang thing because it's so loud," said Boykin. "I could not stand that song. I wouldn't look at the board. I would do anything but look. I would try and relax because it gets so hyped when they played it.
"On this side it's exciting because it gets you so pumped up. They usually do it right before kickoff, so I am amped, ready to run down there. I love 'Renegade' now."
Full-speed ahead: Steelers running back Najee Harris has been on the injury report with an oblique injury the past couple of weeks. But the injury hasn't slowed him down.
Harris had 86 yards on 17 carries in last week's 19-16 win over the Falcons, giving him 310 rushing yards on 67 carries since the Steelers' bye in Week 9. He's averaged 4.6 yards per carry over that period.
Harris has helped revive the Steelers' rushing attack, which has averaged nearly 160 yards per game since the team's bye week. But Baltimore will provide a stiff test. The Ravens allow 82.5 yards per game to opposing ground games -- second-best in the NFL -- and 3.8 yards per carry, which is third.
The Steelers, however, feel they can run against anyone.
"I think so, but to your point, they've got a good run defense," Harris said Friday. "They've got a good defense in general. That's what the Ravens are. They always have a good defense. And they've got a good turnover ratio, too. Being in this division, we know them pretty well. I can tell you it's going to be a physical game like always."
Harris is only in his second season, but he's quickly been indoctrinated into what a Steelers-Ravens matchup means.
In two games against the Ravens as a rookie last season, he 32 carries for 98 yards. So, he knows what these games are about.
But he also feels good about where the Steelers' rushing attack is at right now, as well.
"I think we're finding our rhythm. That's what we do," Harris said of running the ball. "Carrying it into this week is going to be our biggest challenge because it's the Ravens. They have a good team, a good defensive team and a good run defense. This will be our biggest challenge. I think we're ready for it. We're excited to play."
-- Blog entry by Dale Lolley
December football: It's been a topic of conversation since the calendar flipped to December.
Because what that meant, is December football is now in play.
"It's one of the most important times of the year," said linebacker Alex Highsmith. "They remember what you did in December. You have to start fast and finish strong. A lot of good teams finish strong. It's finishing strong and pushing through. Guys are beat up and it shows a lot about the character and resiliency of a team in December."
Cornerback Arthur Maulet dipped into his bag of Tomlinisms to give his take on this time of the year.
"It's tight football," said Maulet. "The weighty plays matter a lot. Everybody has their identity. Everybody knows what they want to do. It's later on in the season. It's great football because you can't make a lot of mistakes, or you will lose. That is when you see what teams are made of. It's close to the playoffs. Teams are trying to make playoff runs. We are one of them. It's imperative we make plays and do the right thing to get wins."
Last year the Steelers were 5-5-1 heading into December and finished 9-7-1 with a playoff berth. It shows what can be accomplished.
"I think this year we have to finish strong as well," said Highsmith. "We're in the position to be in the race. We have to finish strong and win these games. It's really important."
And that starts this week with needing a win over their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
"Around this time the game plans are simple because we know them," said Maulet. "Other team's identities are out there because there is a lot of film. We have to put our head down and make plays."
Ready for plenty of the same: With Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Sunday's win over the Broncos, the Steelers are preparing to see quarterback Tyler Huntley on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
And what they are preparing for is a quarterback who is similar to Jackson.
"He's just kind of like Lamar," said cornerback Levi Wallace. "He's a good runner and a really good passer as well. Just looking at the film last year, he is a really good player. We have to have a lot of respect for him because he can do both."
Wallace knows what this game is going to be like, one where the Ravens will challenge them defensively, forcing it to be a physical battle.
"They want to make the corners tackle," said Wallace. "It's going to be a physical game for us. At the same time, we have to keep the deep ball off of us. They have good receivers outside. They have a lot of route concepts. We have to be locked in the whole game, especially play action."
Pro Bowl Games Voting: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.
The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.
Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.
Steelers fans can do their part to send the team's players to the Pro Bowl Games this season by voting here or on Twitter as part of the social media voting.
Any tweet or retweet that includes one the options below counts as one vote through Dec. 13 and doubles to two votes on Dec. 14 and 15.
Make sure your tweet or retweet includes one of these options and you can vote for any and all Steelers players:
ProBowlVote + @(PlayersHandle) – example: #ProBowlVote @CamHeyward
ProBowl Vote + Full Name – example: #ProBowlVote Minkah Fitzpatrick
Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.
Thursday, December 8
The perfect rivalry: Cornerback Cameron Sutton can't help but smile when he talks about it.
Because he gets it. He knows what it's like. He knows how much fun and how intense it is.
What 'it' is, is the Steelers-Ravens rivalry.
"I love this rivalry," said Sutton, his eyes glowing like a kid on Christmas morning. "Within the division I love all of our games. This is the biggest one I have enjoyed over time. I have seen a lot in six years.
"It's been everything. All the ups and downs, comeback victories, last second drives. It's exciting."
The Steelers and Ravens meet on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, the first time the two will lock heads this season.
And while there is nothing official, the Ravens could be without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who suffered a knee injury in the Ravens' win over the Denver Broncos. If Jackson doesn't play, it will be Tyler Huntley who will start for the Ravens, a player the Steelers are familiar with.
"Lamar is a phenomenal player, an MVP of this league, dynamic, drives that team," said Sutton. "Any time as a competitor you want to play them at their fullest, but that doesn't change the mindset. Huntley is a capable guy. Not a lot of changes in schematics.
"With it being a divisional game it sets the tone. They are going to come out and play physical football. We are going to come out and play physical football. That is just the beautiful history and legacy with these two organizations. It won't be different schematics. They have their targets, who they like to get the ball to. They are predicated off the run game, driven off the run game, moving behind that. Opening up play action and things. In a sense of that for the offense, our job is combatting that. Stopping the run, getting after those guys.
"Being physical in the back end. Setting the tone, making plays on the ball. And in the midst of it having fun and playing together with one another."
The stakes are high: When it comes to the Steelers and Ravens, throw the records out the window.
This is a rivalry no matter what the records, when or where it's played, one thing is going to be certain. It's going to be physical.
"When you play Baltimore there's usually something at stake for both teams, vying for playoffs," said defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. "It's a gritty game that usually comes down to a one score game."
The Steelers have a young team who aren't as accustomed to the rivalry as Heyward is, and that is exactly why Coach Mike Tomlin is delivering the message.
"That's why Mike T's relaying the message," said Heyward. "It's not an easy matchup. They have good guys over there that have done it for a long time and are successful. They got some real good players over there. This rivalry is about who's gonna be the most physical."
Moving on up: Pro Bowl Games voting is underway, and there are multiple Steelers players ranked in the Top 10 in votes at their respective position.
Defensively, Minkah Fitzpatrick is the leading vote getter at the free safety position, which shouldn't come as a surprise to any Steelers fans. Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith ranks fourth at his position, which includes players from both conferences.
On the offensive side of the ball, Pat Freiermuth is sixth at the tight end position, while Derek Watt is sixth at fullback.
Highsmith, Freiermuth and Watt all moved up a spot from last week.
Pro Bowl Games Voting: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.
The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.
Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.
Steelers fans can do their part to send the team's players to the Pro Bowl Games this season by voting here or on Twitter as part of the social media voting.
Any tweet or retweet that includes one the options below counts as one vote through Dec. 13 and doubles to two votes on Dec. 14 and 15.
Make sure your tweet or retweet includes one of these options and you can vote for any and all Steelers players:
ProBowlVote + @(PlayersHandle) – example: #ProBowlVote @CamHeyward
ProBowl Vote + Full Name – example: #ProBowlVote Minkah Fitzpatrick
Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.
Wednesday, December 7
Heightened sense of urgency: On Tuesday, Coach Mike Tomlin passionately delivered the importance of December football during his weekly press conference that Steelers Nation was tuned into.
"As the road gets narrow, it makes you or it breaks you," said Tomlin of December ball. "You feel that pressure or you apply that pressure. It's my preference to apply it. And it's my job to make sure our team shares that sentiment."
Well, he can rest assured, they share that sentiment.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth definitely gets what December football is all about.
"It's December football, like Coach T said yesterday," said Freiermuth. "A lot rides on this month of football. That's why we've prepared well for this month and I am excited."
Freiermuth saw firsthand what December football, which extends into January, was like last year. The Steelers won three of their last four games and four of the last six to earn a spot in the AFC Wild Card Round with a 9-7-1 record, after taking a 5-5-1 record into December.
While he said Tomlin's approach hasn't changed along with the calendar, he said you can feel something in the air.
"He is the same every single week, every single day," said Freiermuth. "But you can tell there is a heightened sense of urgency."
First down: When the Steelers have needed someone to move the chains on third-and-one, it's been fullback Derek Watt who has come through time and time again this season.
Watt is five-for-five when it comes to converting a third-and-one into a first down this season, including converting one on the Steelers opening drive against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. He had a four-yard gain on third-and-one on the team's third offensive play of the game. The Steelers held onto the ball for 7:27 on the drive, which was 16 plays for 47 yards and resulted in a field goal.
"It feels good," said Watt. "Those aren't just first downs. Those are possessions that create another fresh set of downs for the offense and hopefully put a full drive together after that. The one last week was the first drive of the game, we put a really long drive together on the first drive of the game. Those are big plays. I just have to take advantage of them.
"It feels good to get involved. We are continuing to have success with it, so it's bringing on more opportunities. Whatever I get, I try to make the most of it. The o-line has done a great job on those short yardage plays and made my job easy."
Pro Bowl Games Voting: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.
The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.
Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.
Steelers fans can do their part to send the team's players to the Pro Bowl Games this season by voting here or on Twitter as part of the social media voting.
Any tweet or retweet that includes one the options below counts as one vote through Dec. 13 and doubles to two votes on Dec. 14 and 15.
Make sure your tweet or retweet includes one of these options and you can vote for any and all Steelers players:
ProBowlVote + @(PlayersHandle) – example: #ProBowlVote @CamHeyward
ProBowl Vote + Full Name – example: #ProBowlVote Minkah Fitzpatrick
Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.
Practice update: The Steelers signed linebacker Emeke Egbule to the practice squad.
Egbule spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He has played in 32 career games, with six tackles, three of them solo stops, two quarterback hits and seven special teams tackles.
He played at the University of Houston where he started all 13 games his senior season, finishing the year with 69 tackles, 5.5 for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. In his four seasons at Houston he had 164 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, eight passes defensed, six fumble recoveries, five sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
To make room for Egbule, the team released running back Master Teague III from the practice squad.
Monday, December 5
Time to stack: Stacking wins.
It's something you hear about all of the time in the NFL, the importance of getting those back-to-back wins.
It took the Steelers until Weeks 12 and 13 to stack back-to-back wins this season and they don't want to stop now.
This week it's going to be an old-fashioned battle to stack another W for the black and gold as they go against the Baltimore Ravens at Acricure Stadium on Sunday.
"We've been talking about it all year, especially after the wins that we've had," said linebacker Alex Highsmith. "We've got to stack them. This was big because we know as we stack them, they continue to get easier. We just got to continue to stack them this week. We've got an AFC North matchup, big game this weekend against the Ravens, so we just got to keep stacking this week."
It's been a confidence booster already for the team, who at 5-7 are on the rise at the time of year you need to play your best football.
"It's just a lot of confidence," said Highsmith. "We know the type of team that we can be and it's huge to finally stack wins this year. We've just got to be able to stack one this week against a really good opponent in Baltimore. That'll give us a lot of confidence if we win this one against an AFC North team, a really good team. It's gonna be a fun matchup and I can't wait for it."
The success the Steelers have had the last two weeks has been due in part to both side of the ball, and special teams, doing their part to bring on a team win.
"I think we have been playing complementary football for the last month of the season," said defensive end Chris Wormley. "Offense has been playing a lot better, defense has been playing better, special teams too. It's getting tight and every win counts. We try to play our best ball in December.
"This is when things get tight. It's the last five weeks of the season. We're trying to make a push. We're 5-7 and with another win we are right back I the mix of things and looking for another win on Sunday."
Who will be the QB?: When talking about a matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, one of the first players the Steelers' defenders talk about is quarterback Lamar Jackson.
But this week, Jackson's status is unknown.
Jackson suffered a knee injury in the Ravens' win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, and his availability for this week against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium is unknown.
"It's going to be a number (of) days to weeks. We'll see," said Ravens Coach John Harbaugh after the game. "We'll see if he can go back this week. If not, it'll be sometime after that shortly."
With that uncertainty, the Steelers will be ready for whoever starts, whether it's Jackson or Tyler Huntley, who led them on a 91-yard game-winning drive on Sunday.
"Lamar is such a unique challenge," said linebacker Alex Highsmith. "We just got to be able to get after him. And Huntley is a good guy as well. They're both very dangerous. We just got to be able to get to whoever plays.
"Huntley has a very unique talent as well. We just got to be locked in on him as well. They got so many weapons on offense, so we just got to lock in and be in our P's and Q's and just really have a good game plan against these guys."
The Steelers faced Huntley in Week 18 last season when he started for an injured Jackson, intercepting him twice in a 16-13 overtime win.
"We saw him last year at the end of the year when Lamar was hurt," said defensive end Chris Wormley. "It's really hard to replace a guy like Lamar. He's been in the system for a couple of years now. He can do some similar things, but I think Lamar is in a class of his own with what he can do with his legs, throwing the ball, just his command of the offense. When you have a guy like Huntley who has been there a couple of years, he can still do some things, but I think it's going to be hard to replace a guy like Lamar if he's not healthy."
Both Jackson and Huntley bring mobility, something that is going to be the norm for the Steelers down the stretch, and you can be sure the defense will be looking to see which of the two they will face this week.
"This next month is going to be how can we contain mobile quarterbacks and I think our success, at least on defense, is going to be predicated on how well we do that," said Wormley. "Lamar is in a class of his own. He is the best player on their team. If a guy is in or out, we are looking as a defense as to how that fits our scheme, what we are going to do. Huntley is similar, but like I keep saying, Lamar is a different breed of quarterback."
Get out and vote: Voting is now open for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, which will be a completely different format than in the past.
The traditional Pro Bowl game will be replaced by four days of activities, which will culminate with an AFC vs. NFC Flag Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 5.
Leading into the game there will be skill competitions, giving fans a fun look at all of the league's top players.
Fans can vote for their favorite Steelers players now through Dec. 15. A social aspect of voting is now available.
-->> Cast your votes today.
Tune in: For fans who don't want to miss any of the action, NFL+ is here, which means you can now watch the Steelers live and on the go! Watch live local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet. Start your free trial today here.
