Brown Leads Steelers Past Falcons
Author: Scott Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune
August 28, 2011
Antonio Brown has been the Steelers' most impressive player during the preseason.
On Saturday night, the speedy wideout was the best player at Heinz Field.
And that is saying something considering how easy Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan made it look while playing pitch-and-catch in front of an announced crowd 56,754.
The Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks combined for 434 yards in the first half of the Steelers' 34-16 win against the Atlanta Falcons. The difference between the two, as the Steelers staked themselves to an eight-point lead, may have been this: Roethlisberger had Brown, who has clearly established himself as the Steelers' No. 3 wide receiver.
Brown caught four passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also set up the Steelers' other touchdown in the first half when he returned the opening kickoff 51 yards.
Brown made one of his few mistakes of the preseason near the end of a 77-yard catch-and-run when he was flagged for taunting a Falcons defender on the way into the end zone.
"I've got to be more humble because that's not a signature of Steelers football," said Brown, who got an earful about the penalty from coach Mike Tomlin. "He was kind of giving me some crazy words, but I've still got to hold it all together. It's part of being a professional.
"These game don't even much count. I've got to tone it down and be smarter and play Steeler football."
Brown wasn't the only second-year player that had a big night. Cornerback Crezdon Butler, seeing his first extended action of the preseason, returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
That gave the Steelers a 15-point cushion and might have moved Butler off the bubble as far as making the 53-man roster.
Last night amounted to the Steelers' final dress rehearsal before their Sept. 11 season opener in Baltimore — the starters are only expected to play a series in the preseason finale Thursday at Carolina — and it produced mixed results.
Brown continued to shine, and inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons showed why the Steelers recently signed him to a five-year, $60 million contract as his 44-yard interception in the first quarter led to a short Shaun Suisham field goal, one that gave the Steelers an early 10-0 lead.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, carved up the Falcons before calling it a night after a half — albeit a long one in which he and Ryan combined for 58 throws.
The downside for the Steelers could be summed up by a sequence at the beginning of the second quarter.
A breakdown in special teams allowed Eric Weems to return a punt 48 yards. The Falcons promptly spread out the Steelers' defense, and Ryan made it look easy in marching Atlanta's offense 38 yards in eight plays.
"I don't think we did a good job," outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said on the pressure the Steelers got on Ryan. "I know, a few times, I lost contain and allowed him to roll outside the pocket. That hurts the team."
The Steelers answered Ryan's 10-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White with Brown's 77-yard touchdown reception. He capped his big night by catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger in traffic. In three preseason games, Browns has nine receptions for 227 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's consistently been a sparkplug for us throughout the preseason," Tomlin said, "and he's put himself in a position for that to continue as we push towards the regular season."
August 28, 2011
Antonio Brown has been the Steelers' most impressive player during the preseason.
On Saturday night, the speedy wideout was the best player at Heinz Field.
And that is saying something considering how easy Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan made it look while playing pitch-and-catch in front of an announced crowd 56,754.
The Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks combined for 434 yards in the first half of the Steelers' 34-16 win against the Atlanta Falcons. The difference between the two, as the Steelers staked themselves to an eight-point lead, may have been this: Roethlisberger had Brown, who has clearly established himself as the Steelers' No. 3 wide receiver.
Brown caught four passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also set up the Steelers' other touchdown in the first half when he returned the opening kickoff 51 yards.
Brown made one of his few mistakes of the preseason near the end of a 77-yard catch-and-run when he was flagged for taunting a Falcons defender on the way into the end zone.
"I've got to be more humble because that's not a signature of Steelers football," said Brown, who got an earful about the penalty from coach Mike Tomlin. "He was kind of giving me some crazy words, but I've still got to hold it all together. It's part of being a professional.
"These game don't even much count. I've got to tone it down and be smarter and play Steeler football."
Brown wasn't the only second-year player that had a big night. Cornerback Crezdon Butler, seeing his first extended action of the preseason, returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
That gave the Steelers a 15-point cushion and might have moved Butler off the bubble as far as making the 53-man roster.
Last night amounted to the Steelers' final dress rehearsal before their Sept. 11 season opener in Baltimore — the starters are only expected to play a series in the preseason finale Thursday at Carolina — and it produced mixed results.
Brown continued to shine, and inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons showed why the Steelers recently signed him to a five-year, $60 million contract as his 44-yard interception in the first quarter led to a short Shaun Suisham field goal, one that gave the Steelers an early 10-0 lead.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, carved up the Falcons before calling it a night after a half — albeit a long one in which he and Ryan combined for 58 throws.
The downside for the Steelers could be summed up by a sequence at the beginning of the second quarter.
A breakdown in special teams allowed Eric Weems to return a punt 48 yards. The Falcons promptly spread out the Steelers' defense, and Ryan made it look easy in marching Atlanta's offense 38 yards in eight plays.
"I don't think we did a good job," outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said on the pressure the Steelers got on Ryan. "I know, a few times, I lost contain and allowed him to roll outside the pocket. That hurts the team."
The Steelers answered Ryan's 10-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White with Brown's 77-yard touchdown reception. He capped his big night by catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger in traffic. In three preseason games, Browns has nine receptions for 227 yards and three touchdowns.
"He's consistently been a sparkplug for us throughout the preseason," Tomlin said, "and he's put himself in a position for that to continue as we push towards the regular season."
A Lestar (Jean) is born
by Michael A. Lutz
August 18, 2011
It took Lestar Jean’s mother two attempts to get her infant son’s birth certificate properly recorded.
“The people doing my birth certificate thought it was an error,” said Jean, whose first name is pronounced Leh-STAR. “My mom had to send it back in.”
Jump forward a couple of decades, and we find Jean trying to convince the Texans they didn’t make a mistake when they signed him to a free agent contract after the end of the NFL lockout.
He’s no longer just a number after two weeks at the Texans training camp. He’s caught the eye of coach Gary Kubiak in practice and had a couple of fancy catches for 53 yards in Saturday’ 20-16 preseason victory over the New York Jets.
It was enough to get Jean more playing time for Saturday’s preseason game at Reliant Stadium against the New Orleans Saints.
“He’s done good, and his reps have picked up,” Kubiak said on Thursday. “He’s going to play more in the game. More of a load came at him today, but he handled it good.”
Jean grew up in Florida and played football at Florida Atlantic, where he earned a degree last December in criminal justice. He’d make an impressive law enforcement officer at a muscular 6-3, 216.
Still, he’d prefer a long career with the Texans.
“I just come to work and try to do enough that they’ll want to keep me,” Jean said.
Life is tough for a street free agent, and especially this year because of the lengthy lockout period that forced Jean and other undrafted players to wait five months before finding a team and a hope.
“It was a long wait,” he said. “I was just working out hoping a team would pick me up. That got kind of boring. I just wanted to play football and compete. I kept working out and staying in shape.”
After the lockout ended, seven pro teams – the Texans, Ravens, Vikings, Bills, Packers and Dolphins – inquired about signing Jean. He decided his best shot was with the Texans.
“They told me they were only going to sign two other receivers, and the others were signing nine or 10,” Jean said. “They were honest with me, and I felt I had the best opportunity here.”
Jean is still fighting a numbers game to catch on with the Texans. There are 11 wide receivers in camp.
He has improved his chances of at least a spot of the practice squad.
“He’s making some strides,” wide receivers coach Larry Kirksey said. “He’s had a lot to learn in two weeks, and then he goes out the other night and makes some plays. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s got some athletic ability. He does a nice job adjusting to the ball.
“He has some skill, but he has a way to go. He’s learning on the run. So far, he’s done a nice job, and we need to see him improve in the next ballgame.”
On the heels of his eyebrow-raising performance on Monday, Jean at least has fans and media scrambling for the pronunciation guide to find out who was making those big catches against the Jets.
“I felt good about it,” Jean said. “I was ready. I’ve been working every day. I wasn’t surprised. I want to keep doing it so they’ll keep me around. In college, I helped my team by making big plays. I just go play and make plays to help my team win.
“It’s a blessing, to come from where I came from to get to this spot, it’s a blessing.”
What Kubiak hasn’t seen with his own eyes, Texans defensive backs have told him.
"He’s a big-body kid, and I’ve had some of the DBs come over to me and say, ‘Hey, Coach, that guy is tough to handle,’” Kubiak said. “He’s got a lot of ability. He’s got that big body. There’s going to be two young receivers on this team, so it’ll be interesting to see who they are.”
Jean could become another diamond in the rough unearthed by general manager Rick Smith.
“I told the guys you only get a certain amount of draft picks, so you have to have all those guys evaluated and ranked,” Smith said. “We just felt good about his ability, and he’s come in and done a nice job.
“In the salary cap era and the free agency era, it’s important to find players that aren’t your high draft picks that are able to come in and are capable of making an impact on your team. That’s how you round out a solid roster.”
The Texans opened with five wide receivers last season, and Jean has plenty of competition ahead of him to join that group. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, and Jacoby Jones are locks.Dorin Dickerson leads the rest of the pack that includes Jean, Derrick Townsel,Terrence Toliver and Jeff Maehl.
Meaningless preseason games? Not to Jean and the others.
“I’m just trying to do something to make them want to keep me around,” Jean said.
August 18, 2011
It took Lestar Jean’s mother two attempts to get her infant son’s birth certificate properly recorded.
“The people doing my birth certificate thought it was an error,” said Jean, whose first name is pronounced Leh-STAR. “My mom had to send it back in.”
Jump forward a couple of decades, and we find Jean trying to convince the Texans they didn’t make a mistake when they signed him to a free agent contract after the end of the NFL lockout.
He’s no longer just a number after two weeks at the Texans training camp. He’s caught the eye of coach Gary Kubiak in practice and had a couple of fancy catches for 53 yards in Saturday’ 20-16 preseason victory over the New York Jets.
It was enough to get Jean more playing time for Saturday’s preseason game at Reliant Stadium against the New Orleans Saints.
“He’s done good, and his reps have picked up,” Kubiak said on Thursday. “He’s going to play more in the game. More of a load came at him today, but he handled it good.”
Jean grew up in Florida and played football at Florida Atlantic, where he earned a degree last December in criminal justice. He’d make an impressive law enforcement officer at a muscular 6-3, 216.
Still, he’d prefer a long career with the Texans.
“I just come to work and try to do enough that they’ll want to keep me,” Jean said.
Life is tough for a street free agent, and especially this year because of the lengthy lockout period that forced Jean and other undrafted players to wait five months before finding a team and a hope.
“It was a long wait,” he said. “I was just working out hoping a team would pick me up. That got kind of boring. I just wanted to play football and compete. I kept working out and staying in shape.”
After the lockout ended, seven pro teams – the Texans, Ravens, Vikings, Bills, Packers and Dolphins – inquired about signing Jean. He decided his best shot was with the Texans.
“They told me they were only going to sign two other receivers, and the others were signing nine or 10,” Jean said. “They were honest with me, and I felt I had the best opportunity here.”
Jean is still fighting a numbers game to catch on with the Texans. There are 11 wide receivers in camp.
He has improved his chances of at least a spot of the practice squad.
“He’s making some strides,” wide receivers coach Larry Kirksey said. “He’s had a lot to learn in two weeks, and then he goes out the other night and makes some plays. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s got some athletic ability. He does a nice job adjusting to the ball.
“He has some skill, but he has a way to go. He’s learning on the run. So far, he’s done a nice job, and we need to see him improve in the next ballgame.”
On the heels of his eyebrow-raising performance on Monday, Jean at least has fans and media scrambling for the pronunciation guide to find out who was making those big catches against the Jets.
“I felt good about it,” Jean said. “I was ready. I’ve been working every day. I wasn’t surprised. I want to keep doing it so they’ll keep me around. In college, I helped my team by making big plays. I just go play and make plays to help my team win.
“It’s a blessing, to come from where I came from to get to this spot, it’s a blessing.”
What Kubiak hasn’t seen with his own eyes, Texans defensive backs have told him.
"He’s a big-body kid, and I’ve had some of the DBs come over to me and say, ‘Hey, Coach, that guy is tough to handle,’” Kubiak said. “He’s got a lot of ability. He’s got that big body. There’s going to be two young receivers on this team, so it’ll be interesting to see who they are.”
Jean could become another diamond in the rough unearthed by general manager Rick Smith.
“I told the guys you only get a certain amount of draft picks, so you have to have all those guys evaluated and ranked,” Smith said. “We just felt good about his ability, and he’s come in and done a nice job.
“In the salary cap era and the free agency era, it’s important to find players that aren’t your high draft picks that are able to come in and are capable of making an impact on your team. That’s how you round out a solid roster.”
The Texans opened with five wide receivers last season, and Jean has plenty of competition ahead of him to join that group. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, and Jacoby Jones are locks.Dorin Dickerson leads the rest of the pack that includes Jean, Derrick Townsel,Terrence Toliver and Jeff Maehl.
Meaningless preseason games? Not to Jean and the others.
“I’m just trying to do something to make them want to keep me around,” Jean said.
Houston Texans Beat New York Jets 20-16 In Monday Night Preseason Opener
Author: Daniel Charles
August 15, 2011
The first preseason game of the 2011 schedule is in the books for your Houston Texans. They ended up beating the New York Jets 20-16 on Monday Night Football. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates found rookie wide receiver Lester Jean for a 27-yard strike that set up Chris Ogbonnaya for the game-winning one yard touchdown with 1:56 to go in the fourth quarter. A win is very nice for morale, but that is not the key focus of the preseason. The key is how the first team offense and defense look and who came out ahead in position battles.
The first team offense played the entire first quarter resulting in two-plus drives. They didn't score any points, but they did move the ball. The second team offense, led by Matt Leinart, finished the third Houston drive with a 49-yard field goal from Neil Rackers. Matt Schaub went two-for-five for forty yards and had two of his incompletions bounce off the hands of Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter.
The first team defense held the Jets to a field goal in a quarter of action. No one player stood out, except for Kareem Jackson being picked on again, but the defense as a whole seemed to get more pressure on the ball - resulting in a first team sack for a bigger and healthy Xavier Adibi.
Adibi was one of the stand-outs for Houston as he would add a second sack later and a tackle in the backfield. Houston finished the game with seven sacks. Aside from Adibi's two, the others came from rookie Steven Friday (1.5), Earl Mitchell (1.0), Jesse Nading (1.0), and rookie Bryan Braman (1.5). Another defensive stand out was the improved Brice McCain who broke up a pair of passes and played tight coverage on a few more. Overall, the defense seemed to please new coordinator Wade Phillips who had a smile on his face more often than not.
In the second quarter, Leinart tossed a touchdown to Ogbonnaya. The former Texas Longhorn, who played the majority of the game thanks to multiple running backs suffering from injuries, ended the night with six receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns. The aforementioned Jean also took an edge in the receiver position battle with 53 receiving yards.
As to be expected, there was some sloppy play, but there was nothing too concerning or troubling. Most of the issues can be ironed out in practice and/or resolved if some players got healthy At the end of the day, the Texans, from top to bottom, played a full game, came out with no major injuries, and won a football game.
August 15, 2011
The first preseason game of the 2011 schedule is in the books for your Houston Texans. They ended up beating the New York Jets 20-16 on Monday Night Football. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates found rookie wide receiver Lester Jean for a 27-yard strike that set up Chris Ogbonnaya for the game-winning one yard touchdown with 1:56 to go in the fourth quarter. A win is very nice for morale, but that is not the key focus of the preseason. The key is how the first team offense and defense look and who came out ahead in position battles.
The first team offense played the entire first quarter resulting in two-plus drives. They didn't score any points, but they did move the ball. The second team offense, led by Matt Leinart, finished the third Houston drive with a 49-yard field goal from Neil Rackers. Matt Schaub went two-for-five for forty yards and had two of his incompletions bounce off the hands of Owen Daniels and Kevin Walter.
The first team defense held the Jets to a field goal in a quarter of action. No one player stood out, except for Kareem Jackson being picked on again, but the defense as a whole seemed to get more pressure on the ball - resulting in a first team sack for a bigger and healthy Xavier Adibi.
Adibi was one of the stand-outs for Houston as he would add a second sack later and a tackle in the backfield. Houston finished the game with seven sacks. Aside from Adibi's two, the others came from rookie Steven Friday (1.5), Earl Mitchell (1.0), Jesse Nading (1.0), and rookie Bryan Braman (1.5). Another defensive stand out was the improved Brice McCain who broke up a pair of passes and played tight coverage on a few more. Overall, the defense seemed to please new coordinator Wade Phillips who had a smile on his face more often than not.
In the second quarter, Leinart tossed a touchdown to Ogbonnaya. The former Texas Longhorn, who played the majority of the game thanks to multiple running backs suffering from injuries, ended the night with six receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns. The aforementioned Jean also took an edge in the receiver position battle with 53 receiving yards.
As to be expected, there was some sloppy play, but there was nothing too concerning or troubling. Most of the issues can be ironed out in practice and/or resolved if some players got healthy At the end of the day, the Texans, from top to bottom, played a full game, came out with no major injuries, and won a football game.
Redskins 16, Steelers 7: The Antonio Brown Show!
Author: Adam Gretz
August 12,2011
Can you believe the NFL gets people to pay full price for these games? It’s amazing. We were able to get our first look at the 2011 Steelers on Friday night, and they dropped their preseason opener by a 16-7 margin to the Washington Redskins. Some thoughts on the action…
– I hope you guys like touchbacks. I mean, if you get excited watching kickers drill the ball eight yards into the end zone, or completely through the end zone, you’re going to absolutely love this season. There were eight kickoffs in this game and seven of them went for touchbacks. The one return we did see was from Washington’s Brandon Banks
— a 54-yard run-back — that started from about seven yards deep in his own end zone. How pissed off do you think a team like the Cleveland Browns are right now? The NFL essentially took away their best player (Josh Cribbs) by moving the kickoffs to the 35-yard line. Maybe he’ll just say the hell with it and run them all out anyway. Assuming the kickoff doesn’t go through the end zone.
– The Redskins played their first team offense, including quarterback Rex Grossman, for the entire first half. The Steelers first team defense looked rusty to say the least, and allowed Washington to start its first drive on its own one-yard line and move all the way inside the 15 until Shayne Graham honked what should have been a chip shot. The coaching staff was clearly not thrilled with how the defense looked (and it should be pointed out that Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Bryant McFadden didn’t play) and kept them out there longer than initially planned. We had a scare midway through the second quarter when starting middle linebacker Lawrence Timmons was on the wrong end of a three-way collision with Ryan Mundy and a Redskins receiver. He stayed down for a bit and looked to be in a great deal of pain, but appears to be OK.
In other injury news (and this is what we wanted to avoid), starting cornerback Ike Taylor broke his thumb and Ryan Clark went off with what appeared to be a stinger. Taylor’s thumb shouldn’t be much of an issue going forward, and, hey, it’s not like he had great hands to begin with.
– On offense the story of the night was Antonio Brown. He simply looked outstanding, and every time the play went to his side of the field, good things happened. He finished with four catches for 64 yards, including a 29-yard grab, drew a pass interference penalty and made a key block on an Isaac Redman touchdown run in the second quarter. He also smoked Redskins corner DeAngelo Hall on a deep route down the sidelines only to have Byron Leftwich overthrow him. That was the only ball thrown in his direction (not including the pass interference penalty, which he still almost caught) that he didn’t catch.
– Ben Roethlisberger played one series and completed two of his three passes for 22 yards. His only miss was on a deep ball for a wide open Mike Wallace that was overthrown. That’s not easy to do. I imagine in a few weeks, once these guys get their timing back, that play goes for a touchdown.
One thing is for sure: The Steelers wide receivers, particularly Wallace and Brown, are fast. Very, very fast.
– Isaac Redman ran hard and ended up scoring the Steelers’ only touchdown, an impressive 22-yard run late in the second quarter. I still want to see this guy get more carries this year.
– JJ is the offensive line expert around these parts so he would have a better idea as to what was going on than I will at this point, but Chris Scott did not have a strong game, whiffing on a couple of blocks in pass protection.
– Jonathan Dwyer’s night looked like his first three preseason games last year. He finished with seven yards on five carries. Mewelde Moore didn’t show much either, and dropped a pass he should have caught.
– I don’t know if Limas Sweed was inactive, or not available to play, but he did not see one snap. The following receivers did: Wes Lyons, Eric Greenwood, Tyler Grisham and Terrence McRae. I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret: I don’t think Limas is going to make the team this year.
I was going to keep track of how many times Grisham was compared to Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, and the final tally ended up being zero. Well, actually, I gave Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson a half of a reference because Nelson remarked at one time that Grisham reminds him of “one of those short, fast receivers in New England that nobody can keep up with.” Welker wasn’t mentioned by name, but he at least mentioned the Patriots. Close enough. And worthy of a half.
If you’re one of the folks that wants to see the Steelers find a tall wide receiver, you probably have dreams about Wes Lyons because they don’t get much taller than him at six-foot-eight. He wasn’t exactly a productive receiver at West Virginia, but damn is he big. He had one ball thrown in his direction, which he dropped, and then proceeded to hit his head off the field, forcing him to leave the game. Probably not the entrance he wanted to make
Perhaps this is an example as to how deep these early preseason rosters are, and how unlikely it is some of these guys make the team, but when Eric Greenwood caught a 29-yard pass late in the fourth quarter (and it was a nice grab on the sidelines) I found myself sitting on my couch and saying out loud, to no one in particular
– First-round pick Cam Heyward made his preseason debut and looked impressive. His best play came when he fought through a block and chased down Redskins running back Ray Helu from behind and managed to swing him around and slam him to the ground for a short loss.
– Dennis Dixon played the fourth quarter and looked … well, not good. Of course, he was playing behind a third-and-fourth string offensive line and wasn’t getting any help from his receivers, especially Arnaz Battle who had a rough night catching the football. He had at least three drops and only caught two of the six balls thrown his direction for a total of 22 yards.
– Daniel Sepulveda and Jeremy Kapinos both had strong nights punting. Sepulveda’s first punt went 61 yards and was downed at the one-yard line. He averaged 51 yards per punt (four of them), while Kapinos averaged 49.8 on his four punts.
August 12,2011
Can you believe the NFL gets people to pay full price for these games? It’s amazing. We were able to get our first look at the 2011 Steelers on Friday night, and they dropped their preseason opener by a 16-7 margin to the Washington Redskins. Some thoughts on the action…
– I hope you guys like touchbacks. I mean, if you get excited watching kickers drill the ball eight yards into the end zone, or completely through the end zone, you’re going to absolutely love this season. There were eight kickoffs in this game and seven of them went for touchbacks. The one return we did see was from Washington’s Brandon Banks
— a 54-yard run-back — that started from about seven yards deep in his own end zone. How pissed off do you think a team like the Cleveland Browns are right now? The NFL essentially took away their best player (Josh Cribbs) by moving the kickoffs to the 35-yard line. Maybe he’ll just say the hell with it and run them all out anyway. Assuming the kickoff doesn’t go through the end zone.
– The Redskins played their first team offense, including quarterback Rex Grossman, for the entire first half. The Steelers first team defense looked rusty to say the least, and allowed Washington to start its first drive on its own one-yard line and move all the way inside the 15 until Shayne Graham honked what should have been a chip shot. The coaching staff was clearly not thrilled with how the defense looked (and it should be pointed out that Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Bryant McFadden didn’t play) and kept them out there longer than initially planned. We had a scare midway through the second quarter when starting middle linebacker Lawrence Timmons was on the wrong end of a three-way collision with Ryan Mundy and a Redskins receiver. He stayed down for a bit and looked to be in a great deal of pain, but appears to be OK.
In other injury news (and this is what we wanted to avoid), starting cornerback Ike Taylor broke his thumb and Ryan Clark went off with what appeared to be a stinger. Taylor’s thumb shouldn’t be much of an issue going forward, and, hey, it’s not like he had great hands to begin with.
– On offense the story of the night was Antonio Brown. He simply looked outstanding, and every time the play went to his side of the field, good things happened. He finished with four catches for 64 yards, including a 29-yard grab, drew a pass interference penalty and made a key block on an Isaac Redman touchdown run in the second quarter. He also smoked Redskins corner DeAngelo Hall on a deep route down the sidelines only to have Byron Leftwich overthrow him. That was the only ball thrown in his direction (not including the pass interference penalty, which he still almost caught) that he didn’t catch.
– Ben Roethlisberger played one series and completed two of his three passes for 22 yards. His only miss was on a deep ball for a wide open Mike Wallace that was overthrown. That’s not easy to do. I imagine in a few weeks, once these guys get their timing back, that play goes for a touchdown.
One thing is for sure: The Steelers wide receivers, particularly Wallace and Brown, are fast. Very, very fast.
– Isaac Redman ran hard and ended up scoring the Steelers’ only touchdown, an impressive 22-yard run late in the second quarter. I still want to see this guy get more carries this year.
– JJ is the offensive line expert around these parts so he would have a better idea as to what was going on than I will at this point, but Chris Scott did not have a strong game, whiffing on a couple of blocks in pass protection.
– Jonathan Dwyer’s night looked like his first three preseason games last year. He finished with seven yards on five carries. Mewelde Moore didn’t show much either, and dropped a pass he should have caught.
– I don’t know if Limas Sweed was inactive, or not available to play, but he did not see one snap. The following receivers did: Wes Lyons, Eric Greenwood, Tyler Grisham and Terrence McRae. I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret: I don’t think Limas is going to make the team this year.
I was going to keep track of how many times Grisham was compared to Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, and the final tally ended up being zero. Well, actually, I gave Bob Pompeani and Edmund Nelson a half of a reference because Nelson remarked at one time that Grisham reminds him of “one of those short, fast receivers in New England that nobody can keep up with.” Welker wasn’t mentioned by name, but he at least mentioned the Patriots. Close enough. And worthy of a half.
If you’re one of the folks that wants to see the Steelers find a tall wide receiver, you probably have dreams about Wes Lyons because they don’t get much taller than him at six-foot-eight. He wasn’t exactly a productive receiver at West Virginia, but damn is he big. He had one ball thrown in his direction, which he dropped, and then proceeded to hit his head off the field, forcing him to leave the game. Probably not the entrance he wanted to make
Perhaps this is an example as to how deep these early preseason rosters are, and how unlikely it is some of these guys make the team, but when Eric Greenwood caught a 29-yard pass late in the fourth quarter (and it was a nice grab on the sidelines) I found myself sitting on my couch and saying out loud, to no one in particular
– First-round pick Cam Heyward made his preseason debut and looked impressive. His best play came when he fought through a block and chased down Redskins running back Ray Helu from behind and managed to swing him around and slam him to the ground for a short loss.
– Dennis Dixon played the fourth quarter and looked … well, not good. Of course, he was playing behind a third-and-fourth string offensive line and wasn’t getting any help from his receivers, especially Arnaz Battle who had a rough night catching the football. He had at least three drops and only caught two of the six balls thrown his direction for a total of 22 yards.
– Daniel Sepulveda and Jeremy Kapinos both had strong nights punting. Sepulveda’s first punt went 61 yards and was downed at the one-yard line. He averaged 51 yards per punt (four of them), while Kapinos averaged 49.8 on his four punts.
Flashing Daryl Sharpton, Texans Lestar Jean and Terrence Tolliver Get a Shot
Author: Joe Owens
August 5, 2011
Yesterday the Houston Texans practiced in full pads. Players like Daryl Sharpton flashed Coach Kubiak. This is a good sign to here that the defense is coming along nicely. We've heard since camp opened that Brandon Harris has begun to be noticed and now Sharpton. On the offensive side of the ball it seems as if all the attention is at the wide receiver position. With Andre Johnson out with a finger a few different players are getting a chance at more reps than they normally would perhaps.
Along with Dorin Dickerson two of the undrafted free agents signed at the start of free agency are making the most of their opportunities. Terrance Tolliver and Lestar Jean are two players that are catching his eye. Coach Kubiak went as far as to say about the duo and the battle for the fourth and fifth wide receiver positions.
“They really have. They’re big guys. Obviously they’re getting a big opportunity because Andre’s (Johnson) out. Jacoby’s (Jones) not practicing, so we’re basically running with a real young group right now. They both got the body and the athletic ability to play in this league. We’ll see how far they come. Special teams will probably be a big key there. It’s a good group. It’s probably as good a group of free agent wide receivers we’ve had.”
We believe both players could make the squad on special teams alone. There is very little doubt both Tolliver and Jean can play only question is how bad do they want it and how far will each one’s work ethic take them. At the very least we could see one of the two ending up on the Texans practice squad for now. We will be keeping an eye on the battle at this position along with keeping you informed.
August 5, 2011
Yesterday the Houston Texans practiced in full pads. Players like Daryl Sharpton flashed Coach Kubiak. This is a good sign to here that the defense is coming along nicely. We've heard since camp opened that Brandon Harris has begun to be noticed and now Sharpton. On the offensive side of the ball it seems as if all the attention is at the wide receiver position. With Andre Johnson out with a finger a few different players are getting a chance at more reps than they normally would perhaps.
Along with Dorin Dickerson two of the undrafted free agents signed at the start of free agency are making the most of their opportunities. Terrance Tolliver and Lestar Jean are two players that are catching his eye. Coach Kubiak went as far as to say about the duo and the battle for the fourth and fifth wide receiver positions.
“They really have. They’re big guys. Obviously they’re getting a big opportunity because Andre’s (Johnson) out. Jacoby’s (Jones) not practicing, so we’re basically running with a real young group right now. They both got the body and the athletic ability to play in this league. We’ll see how far they come. Special teams will probably be a big key there. It’s a good group. It’s probably as good a group of free agent wide receivers we’ve had.”
We believe both players could make the squad on special teams alone. There is very little doubt both Tolliver and Jean can play only question is how bad do they want it and how far will each one’s work ethic take them. At the very least we could see one of the two ending up on the Texans practice squad for now. We will be keeping an eye on the battle at this position along with keeping you informed.
NFL Scout Most Excited About Texans Lestar Jean & Terrence Toliver
Author: Joe Owens
August 7, 2011
So far during training camp two of the Texans undrafted free agent wide receivers are creating quite a stir in camp and most notably with their red zone presence. Both Lester Jean who is 6’3” and Terrence Toliver who stands 6’5” are creating a lot of excitement for fans along with giving the Texans coaching staff much to look forward to in the near future.
Even during this morning’s practice, while Terrence Toliver didn’t practice due to the illness bug that is going around at camp, Jean had a one handed catch over rookie safety Shiloh Keo. Thanks to a tweet from Texans training camp by NFL Scout Jayson Braddock a few plays later down in the red zone Lester Jean made a great catch.
Jayson Braddock has been at camp since Thursday and during a recent Hoston Texans Training Camp Report commented on the two undrafted free agents. Braddock says, “Probably what I’m most excited to talk about is Lester Jean & Terrence Toliver. Toliver struggled with the heat in the earlier part of the day but wouldn’t turn down reps and kept participating in drills. Toliver has a NFL body. He’s freakishly huge. You know about his 6’5 frame but on film he looks slender. My mistake, he’s a tank that will be a beast to bring down and could be a Brandon Marshall type. Lester Jean game resembles Randy Moss more. He’s a long strider that gets separation quick and snags the ball. He was also hungry for information. I spotted him routinely asking Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones for advice / help. He wants to be good and isn’t afraid to ask the best how to be. Here Terrence Toliver talks about his style of play and how he can best contribute to this Texans team.”
While there is a logjam at the wide receiver position for the Texans, we are expecting both Jean and Toliver to make the team in some capacity. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones and Dorin Dickerson all seem to have spots locked up. Trindon Holiday and Derrick Townsel seem to be fighting for the fifth wide receiver positions with nothing is etched in stone there. Lester Jean and Terrence Toliver competing for maybe a sixth wide receiver spot and playing on special teams is foreseeable.
The odd man out may get signed to the practice squad if another team doesn’t pick them up before clearing waivers. It wouldn’t be too far out of the realm of reality to see a cut or two made in order to make room for both undrafted free agents. Barring injury and a solid preseason of course.
August 7, 2011
So far during training camp two of the Texans undrafted free agent wide receivers are creating quite a stir in camp and most notably with their red zone presence. Both Lester Jean who is 6’3” and Terrence Toliver who stands 6’5” are creating a lot of excitement for fans along with giving the Texans coaching staff much to look forward to in the near future.
Even during this morning’s practice, while Terrence Toliver didn’t practice due to the illness bug that is going around at camp, Jean had a one handed catch over rookie safety Shiloh Keo. Thanks to a tweet from Texans training camp by NFL Scout Jayson Braddock a few plays later down in the red zone Lester Jean made a great catch.
Jayson Braddock has been at camp since Thursday and during a recent Hoston Texans Training Camp Report commented on the two undrafted free agents. Braddock says, “Probably what I’m most excited to talk about is Lester Jean & Terrence Toliver. Toliver struggled with the heat in the earlier part of the day but wouldn’t turn down reps and kept participating in drills. Toliver has a NFL body. He’s freakishly huge. You know about his 6’5 frame but on film he looks slender. My mistake, he’s a tank that will be a beast to bring down and could be a Brandon Marshall type. Lester Jean game resembles Randy Moss more. He’s a long strider that gets separation quick and snags the ball. He was also hungry for information. I spotted him routinely asking Andre Johnson and Jacoby Jones for advice / help. He wants to be good and isn’t afraid to ask the best how to be. Here Terrence Toliver talks about his style of play and how he can best contribute to this Texans team.”
While there is a logjam at the wide receiver position for the Texans, we are expecting both Jean and Toliver to make the team in some capacity. Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jacoby Jones and Dorin Dickerson all seem to have spots locked up. Trindon Holiday and Derrick Townsel seem to be fighting for the fifth wide receiver positions with nothing is etched in stone there. Lester Jean and Terrence Toliver competing for maybe a sixth wide receiver spot and playing on special teams is foreseeable.
The odd man out may get signed to the practice squad if another team doesn’t pick them up before clearing waivers. It wouldn’t be too far out of the realm of reality to see a cut or two made in order to make room for both undrafted free agents. Barring injury and a solid preseason of course.
Three NC Tech Alumni are NFL prospects awaiting the lockout to be lifted.
Andre Tinsley RB
Lestar Jean - WR - Florida Atlantic
www.rookiedraft.com
By Joe Everett on Thursday, 21st April 2011 Jean is a thickly built possession receiver that has the ball skills and explosiveness after the catch to play at the next level.
He can accelerate quickly and while he doesn’t have top end speed, he changes gears so well that he possesses moves that defy his size. He is a hands catcher that shows solid technique plucking the football outside of his body and he’s a natural making the over the shoulder catch.
He lacks the deep speed to stretch a defense and most of his separation came as a result of being able to out-physical his opponents, something he won’t be able to get away with against NFL corners. He also remains a very raw prospect with a ways to go in the route running department.
“Lestar” is excellent in jump ball situations where he can take advantage of his long arms and vertical leaping ability. Jean will find a place on somebody’s roster because of his prototype size, strong hands and potential to be a threat in the red-zone.
School: Florida Atlantic
Position: WR
Hometown: Miami, FL
Date of Birth: 02/05/88
Height: 6030
Weight: 215
40 T: 4.63
Projection: 4th-5th Round
Stats Overview Receiving Rushing Fumbles YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST
2007 19 246 12.9 46 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2008 25 257 10.3 30 2 2 9 4.5 12 0 0 0
2009 38 501 13.2 44 4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2010 64 988 15.4 80 8 2 -16 -8.0 0 0 0 0
Tags: 2011 NFL Draft, Draft, Florida Atlantic, Lester Jean, NFL, NFL draft, Rookie, wide receiver
By Joe Everett on Thursday, 21st April 2011 Jean is a thickly built possession receiver that has the ball skills and explosiveness after the catch to play at the next level.
He can accelerate quickly and while he doesn’t have top end speed, he changes gears so well that he possesses moves that defy his size. He is a hands catcher that shows solid technique plucking the football outside of his body and he’s a natural making the over the shoulder catch.
He lacks the deep speed to stretch a defense and most of his separation came as a result of being able to out-physical his opponents, something he won’t be able to get away with against NFL corners. He also remains a very raw prospect with a ways to go in the route running department.
“Lestar” is excellent in jump ball situations where he can take advantage of his long arms and vertical leaping ability. Jean will find a place on somebody’s roster because of his prototype size, strong hands and potential to be a threat in the red-zone.
School: Florida Atlantic
Position: WR
Hometown: Miami, FL
Date of Birth: 02/05/88
Height: 6030
Weight: 215
40 T: 4.63
Projection: 4th-5th Round
Stats Overview Receiving Rushing Fumbles YEAR REC YDS AVG LNG TD ATT YDS AVG LNG TD FUM LST
2007 19 246 12.9 46 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2008 25 257 10.3 30 2 2 9 4.5 12 0 0 0
2009 38 501 13.2 44 4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0
2010 64 988 15.4 80 8 2 -16 -8.0 0 0 0 0
Tags: 2011 NFL Draft, Draft, Florida Atlantic, Lester Jean, NFL, NFL draft, Rookie, wide receiver
2011 NFL Draft Profile: Lestar Jean
2011 NFL Draft Profile: Lester Jean
by Alfie Crow on Mar 18, 2011 5:00 PM EDT in 2011 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215lbs
PROS: Very good size for the wide receiver position. Very physical player who will willingly block and fights for the football. Didn’t time well at the NFL Combine, but looks faster than his 4.65 time. Got better each season at FAU including nearly doubling his output from junior to senior year. Nice redzone target with great leaping ability and adjusts to the ball well.
CONS: Not a very good route runner and predominantly just ran down the field to catch go routes in college. Still a very raw football player, but he has lots of potential to grow. More of a body catcher than a hands catcher and will drop some easy passes because he lets them into his body. Not very elusive and doesn’t offer very much as far as yards after the catch.
Receiving Season Team REC YDS AVG LNG TD TOTAL 146 1992 13.6 80 15 2007 Florida Atlantic 19 246 12.9 46 1 2008 Florida Atlantic 25 257 10.3 30 2 2009 Florida Atlantic 38 501 13.2 44 4 2010 Florida Atlantic 64 988 15.4 80
by Alfie Crow on Mar 18, 2011 5:00 PM EDT in 2011 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215lbs
PROS: Very good size for the wide receiver position. Very physical player who will willingly block and fights for the football. Didn’t time well at the NFL Combine, but looks faster than his 4.65 time. Got better each season at FAU including nearly doubling his output from junior to senior year. Nice redzone target with great leaping ability and adjusts to the ball well.
CONS: Not a very good route runner and predominantly just ran down the field to catch go routes in college. Still a very raw football player, but he has lots of potential to grow. More of a body catcher than a hands catcher and will drop some easy passes because he lets them into his body. Not very elusive and doesn’t offer very much as far as yards after the catch.
Receiving Season Team REC YDS AVG LNG TD TOTAL 146 1992 13.6 80 15 2007 Florida Atlantic 19 246 12.9 46 1 2008 Florida Atlantic 25 257 10.3 30 2 2009 Florida Atlantic 38 501 13.2 44 4 2010 Florida Atlantic 64 988 15.4 80
Packers Attend FAU Pro Day, Check Out Lester Jean
ByBrian Carriveau on Mar 05, 2011
A representative from the Green Bay Packers attended Florida Atlantic University's pro day workout in Boca Raton on Thursday, according to Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated and DraftInsider.
The Packers saw a fair amount of talent on display yesterday. Prior to 2010 FAU only had a single player invited to the NFL Combine in the school's history. This year they had three: wide receiver Lester Jean, tight end Rob Housler and quarterback Jeff Van Camp.
Housler turned in the fastest 40-yard dash among all tight ends at the Combine with a time 4.55 seconds.
According to Chuck King of FAUOwlAccess.com, the Packers spent some time looking at Jean.
"Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco, St. Louis and Seattle have all shown interested in Jean," writes King. "Unlike Van Camp and Housler, Jean chose to run the 40-yard dash on Thursday. He wanted to bring his time under 4.6, and did so with a 4.53 – the fastest time of the day."
Also working out at FAU's pro day were potential future pros, linebacker/safety Michael Lockley and cornerback Tavious Polo.
Jean had a couple highlight reel catches, which you can check out from this video by FAUOwlAcess.
They also have a profile video specifically about Jean.
A representative from the Green Bay Packers attended Florida Atlantic University's pro day workout in Boca Raton on Thursday, according to Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated and DraftInsider.
The Packers saw a fair amount of talent on display yesterday. Prior to 2010 FAU only had a single player invited to the NFL Combine in the school's history. This year they had three: wide receiver Lester Jean, tight end Rob Housler and quarterback Jeff Van Camp.
Housler turned in the fastest 40-yard dash among all tight ends at the Combine with a time 4.55 seconds.
According to Chuck King of FAUOwlAccess.com, the Packers spent some time looking at Jean.
"Green Bay, New Orleans, San Francisco, St. Louis and Seattle have all shown interested in Jean," writes King. "Unlike Van Camp and Housler, Jean chose to run the 40-yard dash on Thursday. He wanted to bring his time under 4.6, and did so with a 4.53 – the fastest time of the day."
Also working out at FAU's pro day were potential future pros, linebacker/safety Michael Lockley and cornerback Tavious Polo.
Jean had a couple highlight reel catches, which you can check out from this video by FAUOwlAcess.
They also have a profile video specifically about Jean.
Jaguars attend FAU Pro Day
Saturday's Daily Briefing: FAU wide receiver Lester Jean finalist for PBC Amateur Athlete of the Year
By Chuck King
Former FAU wide receiver Lester Jean's senior year caught the attention of numerous NFL scouts. Apparently the Palm Beach County Sports Commission took notice, too.
Jean (right, photo by NDM Images' Ralph Notaro) is one of three finalist for the Palm Beach County Amateur Athlete of the Year award, which will be presented on Sunday at the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet.
“I'm hoping I can win that award. That would be good for the school,”Jean said.
Former Jupiter High School baseball player Matt Greener and former Cardinal Newman golfer Brooks Koepka are the finalists along with Jean. Here is how the commission described the field:
Matt Greener, Jupiter, Baseball - Matt Greener, a 2006 graduate of Jupiter High School, was a standout baseball player at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. Matt was the NAIA Player of the Year and first team All-American. He led Cumberland to an NAIA World Series Championship. In addition to playing third base, Greener led the NAIA with 116 hits, 101 RBI and 225 total bases. He hit in 61 of 66 games. He compiled a .466 batting average along with 27 home runs and 26 doubles.
Lester Jean, Boca Raton, Football - Lester Jean, a senior wide receiver for Florida Atlantic University (FAU), led the Sunbelt Conference with an average of 82.3 receiving yards per game. During the season, he made 64 catches for 988 yards and 8 touchdowns. Over his career, Lester played in 50 games for FAU, totaling 146 receptions for 1,992 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Brooks Koepka, Wellington, Golf - Brooks Koepka played golf at Cardinal Newman High School before competing at Florida State University (FSU). Brooks was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of Year in 2009 and ACC Player of the Year in 2010, leading FSU to third in the NCAA Championship finals, which is the school’s highest finish ever. He led the team with 22 of 25 rounds scored at 75 or better and second on the team with 11 of 25 rounds scored at par or better. He also led the team in stroke average during the spring season (averaged 72.28 strokes in 25 rounds in nine tournaments) Brooks received the Palm Beach County Annual Sports Award for High School Athlete of the Year in 2007.
The entire event should have an FAU flair. Former Owl Jason Pugh, who now works for ESPN 760, will serve as master of ceremonies. Here is a list of all the nominees for the multiple awards that will be presented.
The ceremony, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. To purchase tickets for the event, call 561-233-3180 .
Good luck to Lester.
Former FAU wide receiver Lester Jean's senior year caught the attention of numerous NFL scouts. Apparently the Palm Beach County Sports Commission took notice, too.
Jean (right, photo by NDM Images' Ralph Notaro) is one of three finalist for the Palm Beach County Amateur Athlete of the Year award, which will be presented on Sunday at the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet.
“I'm hoping I can win that award. That would be good for the school,”Jean said.
Former Jupiter High School baseball player Matt Greener and former Cardinal Newman golfer Brooks Koepka are the finalists along with Jean. Here is how the commission described the field:
Matt Greener, Jupiter, Baseball - Matt Greener, a 2006 graduate of Jupiter High School, was a standout baseball player at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. Matt was the NAIA Player of the Year and first team All-American. He led Cumberland to an NAIA World Series Championship. In addition to playing third base, Greener led the NAIA with 116 hits, 101 RBI and 225 total bases. He hit in 61 of 66 games. He compiled a .466 batting average along with 27 home runs and 26 doubles.
Lester Jean, Boca Raton, Football - Lester Jean, a senior wide receiver for Florida Atlantic University (FAU), led the Sunbelt Conference with an average of 82.3 receiving yards per game. During the season, he made 64 catches for 988 yards and 8 touchdowns. Over his career, Lester played in 50 games for FAU, totaling 146 receptions for 1,992 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Brooks Koepka, Wellington, Golf - Brooks Koepka played golf at Cardinal Newman High School before competing at Florida State University (FSU). Brooks was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of Year in 2009 and ACC Player of the Year in 2010, leading FSU to third in the NCAA Championship finals, which is the school’s highest finish ever. He led the team with 22 of 25 rounds scored at 75 or better and second on the team with 11 of 25 rounds scored at par or better. He also led the team in stroke average during the spring season (averaged 72.28 strokes in 25 rounds in nine tournaments) Brooks received the Palm Beach County Annual Sports Award for High School Athlete of the Year in 2007.
The entire event should have an FAU flair. Former Owl Jason Pugh, who now works for ESPN 760, will serve as master of ceremonies. Here is a list of all the nominees for the multiple awards that will be presented.
The ceremony, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. To purchase tickets for the event, call 561-233-3180 .
Good luck to Lester.
Catch Lester Jean in the East/West Shrine Game 4 p.m. Saturday
Lester Jean is scheduled to play for the East and wear no. 81
Jan. 21, 2011 BOCA RATON, FL - Lester Jean, FAU's standout wide receiver, will play in Saturday's East/West Shrine Game. Jean will be one of four in a rotation on the East team. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Orlando Citrus Bowl and the game will air live on the NFL network. Jean completed his four-year FAU career with 140 receptions, 1940 yards and 15 scores. The Florida native averaged 13.9 yards per catch.
Jan. 21, 2011 BOCA RATON, FL - Lester Jean, FAU's standout wide receiver, will play in Saturday's East/West Shrine Game. Jean will be one of four in a rotation on the East team. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Orlando Citrus Bowl and the game will air live on the NFL network. Jean completed his four-year FAU career with 140 receptions, 1940 yards and 15 scores. The Florida native averaged 13.9 yards per catch.
Antonio Brown makes another clutch catch to send Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl
Updated: Monday, January 24, 2011, 3:13 PM
Steelers Show More Special Teams Improvement
Monday, September 20, 2010 6:23 PM
Written By: NFL Blog Blitz
OK, so what do we know now after seeing the Steelers shut down the Titans?
1. The Steelers can't do any worse than 2-2 without Roethlisberger.
2. The Steeler defense is awesome.
3. The Steeler offense is almost non-existent.
4. The Steeler special teams ain't bad.
Antonio Brown returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. I really cannot remember the Steelers returning a kickoff since the Ron Woodson era. Woodson would start up the middle and then veer to the right, at which time the Steelers would set up a wall of blockers, and Woodson would be off to the races. But the Steelers haven't had anybody close to Woodson since he left, and in most cases they struggled to get to the 20.
As the game progressed it was obvious that Tomlin created a plan that essentially told the defense that it had to suck it up and win the game practically on its own. It meant stopping the Titans premier runner, Chris Johnson, who, up to yesterday, had a dozen straight 100-plus-yard games. He didn't get near that yesterday. Additionally, the Steelers forced seven turnovers, unheard of. Hats off to the entire squad and LeBeau's scheming. But having Polamalu and Smith back makes an enormous difference. Another guy, Timmons, was all over the field. And, because of the heat, they had to substitute liberally along the defensive line. So, you can say that everyone contributed, even the rawest of rookies.
Tomlin also knew that the offense would be one-dimensional. Despite his speeches to the contrary, he really doesn't have that much faith in Dixon and wouldn't allow him to throw much at all. The Titans realized this as well and packed the box to stop the run. The Steelers had about 127 yards of total offense yesterday. This tells you how much the defense meant.
Finally, one of the weak links of last year's team was special teams. But a new coach and some new bodies have made a huge difference.
So, while we can't wait for the big boy to get back in action so the Steelers can open up the game. In the first two games, at least, the defense and special teams have allowed them to do just enough to get a win.
-- JIM REICH
NFL Blog Blitz powered by SportsFanLive.com
Written By: NFL Blog Blitz
OK, so what do we know now after seeing the Steelers shut down the Titans?
1. The Steelers can't do any worse than 2-2 without Roethlisberger.
2. The Steeler defense is awesome.
3. The Steeler offense is almost non-existent.
4. The Steeler special teams ain't bad.
Antonio Brown returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. I really cannot remember the Steelers returning a kickoff since the Ron Woodson era. Woodson would start up the middle and then veer to the right, at which time the Steelers would set up a wall of blockers, and Woodson would be off to the races. But the Steelers haven't had anybody close to Woodson since he left, and in most cases they struggled to get to the 20.
As the game progressed it was obvious that Tomlin created a plan that essentially told the defense that it had to suck it up and win the game practically on its own. It meant stopping the Titans premier runner, Chris Johnson, who, up to yesterday, had a dozen straight 100-plus-yard games. He didn't get near that yesterday. Additionally, the Steelers forced seven turnovers, unheard of. Hats off to the entire squad and LeBeau's scheming. But having Polamalu and Smith back makes an enormous difference. Another guy, Timmons, was all over the field. And, because of the heat, they had to substitute liberally along the defensive line. So, you can say that everyone contributed, even the rawest of rookies.
Tomlin also knew that the offense would be one-dimensional. Despite his speeches to the contrary, he really doesn't have that much faith in Dixon and wouldn't allow him to throw much at all. The Titans realized this as well and packed the box to stop the run. The Steelers had about 127 yards of total offense yesterday. This tells you how much the defense meant.
Finally, one of the weak links of last year's team was special teams. But a new coach and some new bodies have made a huge difference.
So, while we can't wait for the big boy to get back in action so the Steelers can open up the game. In the first two games, at least, the defense and special teams have allowed them to do just enough to get a win.
-- JIM REICH
NFL Blog Blitz powered by SportsFanLive.com
Super Bowl XLV fires up with four Chippewas
Tim Twentyman / The Detroit News
Antonio Brown has made two of the more significant plays in the playoffs for the Super Bowl-bound Steelers.
His 58-yard reception on third-and-19 in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' 31-24 victory over the Raven in the divisional round set up a Rashard Mendenhall 2-yard touchdown run that broke a 24-24 tie.
In Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Jets, Brown made a diving 14-yard reception on the first play after the two-minute warning that enabled the Steelers to run out the clock for a 24-19 victory and advance to Super Bowl XLV in Dallas on Feb. 6.
But Brown is no stranger to making big catches. He did the same thing at Central Michigan, where he's the career leader in receptions.
Brown, a sixth round pick of the Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft, isn't the only Central Michigan alum that'll be playing on the biggest stage in all of sports a couple weeks.
Central Michigan will be represented by four players in the Super Bowl. That's as many as Ohio State, LSU and Tennessee, three of the biggest football programs in the country.
Joining Brown are Packers linebacker Frank Zombo (class of 2010), Packers defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (2003) and Packers cornerback Josh Gordy (2010).
Central Michigan's football budget in 2009 was $7,035,878, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Compare that to Ohio State ($31,763,036), LSU ($25,566,520) and Tennessee ($17,357,345), and Central having that many alums in the Super Bowl is impressive.
Four Chippewas in the Super Bowl surpasses the total of the previous 44 games combined.
"We have a reputation of producing several NFL-caliber players that have littered the NFL through the years," said Central Michigan athletic director Dave Heeke. "It's kind of neat that it's all coming together and we can celebrate it in the Super Bowl.
"There is no doubt that when we see them play and when we hear the name Central Michigan it will send a little chill down our spine. It makes you proud."
Making an impact The first time Brown touched the football as an NFL player, he took it 89 yards for a touchdown.
It was his first regular-season game on Sept. 19 at Tennessee. Running back Mewelde Moore fielded the opening kickoff and handed it off to Brown, a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, who returned it 89 yards for Pittsburgh's only touchdown in a 19-11 victory.
"The pieces (with the Steelers) fit together so well," Brown told the Associated Press. "Just being part of something that's bigger than us. Coming to this organization and getting to know great people. I'm just thankful to be a part of it."
Brown had 14 of his 16 receptions over the final five games and finished with 167 yards receiving. He's caught four passes for 89 yards in two playoff games.
"We've been impressed with these young men from Day 1," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "That's why we pushed them in the manner in which we did. We knew that they were capable of providing splash plays for us, plays that could help us win. It's become pretty clear that they're up for the task."
Cullen Jenkins, a Detroit native who played at Belleville, has been clogging the middle of the Packers defensive line since 2004. He landed a spot on the Packers roster as an undrafted rookie after playing one season in NFL Europe.
Jenkins recorded 40 tackles, seven for loss, 41/2 sacks, and two passes defended during his senior year at Central.
He has 18 tackles and seven sacks this season.
Jenkins is in the final year of a four-year, $16 million contract.
Zombo, who grew up in Sterling Heights, has been one of the Packers' pleasant surprises this season. He got his first start on Monday Night Football against the Bears Sept. 27, starting in place of the injured Brad Jones.
"He's a tough kid and has earned every opportunity he's been given here," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Every time we put him in a situation, whether it was practice or preseason, he just kept producing."
In 13 games Zombo had 28 tackles, four sacks and forced two fumbles. He hasn't played since Week 14 in Detroit because of a knee injury. His status for the Super Bowl is yet to be determined.
Zombo finished his Central career with 181 tackles, 39 for loss.
Gordy, also an undrafted rookie free agent, is a reserve in a very talented Packers secondary. He was moved from the practice squad to the active roster late in the season and played in two games, recording one tackle.
Gordy led the MAC with 14 pass breakups during his senior season and recorded 43 tackles and three interceptions.
Central Michigan leads the way, but the entire MAC conference will be a prominent face of Super Bowl XLV. The MAC will have 15 players on Super Bowl rosters, same as the Big Ten and more than the ACC (13), Big 12 (13), PAC-10 (10) and Big East (5). Only the SEC (18) will be better represented.
"I think it's certainly a tribute to our conference and the kind of football that we play," Heeke said. "There are obviously tremendous athletes and good football players in our league and they are going to be showcased in the Super Bowl. Sometimes people clearly underrate the Mid-American conference and the caliber of our football programs and the quality of the players that are involved."
The 15 MAC players on the two Super Bowl rosters PITTSBURGH
QB Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan)
WR Antonio Brown (Central Michigan)
QB Byron Leftwich (Marshall)*
LB James Harrison (Kent State)
QB Ben Roethlisberger (Miami)
K Shaun Suisham (Bowling Green)
GREEN BAY
CB Atari Bigby (Central Florida)*
LB Diyral Briggs (BGSU)
TE Tom Crabtree (Miami)
CB Josh Gordy (CMU)
DE Cullen Jenkins (CMU)
WR Greg Jennings (Western Michigan)
OL T.J. Lang (EMU)
RB James Starks (Buffalo)
LB Frank Zombo (CMU)
*Marshall and Central Florida were MAC members during Leftwich's and Bigby's careers, but have since left the conference.
ttwentyman@detnews.com
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110126/SPORTS0101/101260330/Super-Bowl-XLV-fires-up-with-four-Chippewas#ixzz1IJ1aEBAp
Antonio Brown has made two of the more significant plays in the playoffs for the Super Bowl-bound Steelers.
His 58-yard reception on third-and-19 in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' 31-24 victory over the Raven in the divisional round set up a Rashard Mendenhall 2-yard touchdown run that broke a 24-24 tie.
In Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Jets, Brown made a diving 14-yard reception on the first play after the two-minute warning that enabled the Steelers to run out the clock for a 24-19 victory and advance to Super Bowl XLV in Dallas on Feb. 6.
But Brown is no stranger to making big catches. He did the same thing at Central Michigan, where he's the career leader in receptions.
Brown, a sixth round pick of the Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft, isn't the only Central Michigan alum that'll be playing on the biggest stage in all of sports a couple weeks.
Central Michigan will be represented by four players in the Super Bowl. That's as many as Ohio State, LSU and Tennessee, three of the biggest football programs in the country.
Joining Brown are Packers linebacker Frank Zombo (class of 2010), Packers defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (2003) and Packers cornerback Josh Gordy (2010).
Central Michigan's football budget in 2009 was $7,035,878, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Compare that to Ohio State ($31,763,036), LSU ($25,566,520) and Tennessee ($17,357,345), and Central having that many alums in the Super Bowl is impressive.
Four Chippewas in the Super Bowl surpasses the total of the previous 44 games combined.
"We have a reputation of producing several NFL-caliber players that have littered the NFL through the years," said Central Michigan athletic director Dave Heeke. "It's kind of neat that it's all coming together and we can celebrate it in the Super Bowl.
"There is no doubt that when we see them play and when we hear the name Central Michigan it will send a little chill down our spine. It makes you proud."
Making an impact The first time Brown touched the football as an NFL player, he took it 89 yards for a touchdown.
It was his first regular-season game on Sept. 19 at Tennessee. Running back Mewelde Moore fielded the opening kickoff and handed it off to Brown, a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection, who returned it 89 yards for Pittsburgh's only touchdown in a 19-11 victory.
"The pieces (with the Steelers) fit together so well," Brown told the Associated Press. "Just being part of something that's bigger than us. Coming to this organization and getting to know great people. I'm just thankful to be a part of it."
Brown had 14 of his 16 receptions over the final five games and finished with 167 yards receiving. He's caught four passes for 89 yards in two playoff games.
"We've been impressed with these young men from Day 1," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "That's why we pushed them in the manner in which we did. We knew that they were capable of providing splash plays for us, plays that could help us win. It's become pretty clear that they're up for the task."
Cullen Jenkins, a Detroit native who played at Belleville, has been clogging the middle of the Packers defensive line since 2004. He landed a spot on the Packers roster as an undrafted rookie after playing one season in NFL Europe.
Jenkins recorded 40 tackles, seven for loss, 41/2 sacks, and two passes defended during his senior year at Central.
He has 18 tackles and seven sacks this season.
Jenkins is in the final year of a four-year, $16 million contract.
Zombo, who grew up in Sterling Heights, has been one of the Packers' pleasant surprises this season. He got his first start on Monday Night Football against the Bears Sept. 27, starting in place of the injured Brad Jones.
"He's a tough kid and has earned every opportunity he's been given here," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Every time we put him in a situation, whether it was practice or preseason, he just kept producing."
In 13 games Zombo had 28 tackles, four sacks and forced two fumbles. He hasn't played since Week 14 in Detroit because of a knee injury. His status for the Super Bowl is yet to be determined.
Zombo finished his Central career with 181 tackles, 39 for loss.
Gordy, also an undrafted rookie free agent, is a reserve in a very talented Packers secondary. He was moved from the practice squad to the active roster late in the season and played in two games, recording one tackle.
Gordy led the MAC with 14 pass breakups during his senior season and recorded 43 tackles and three interceptions.
Central Michigan leads the way, but the entire MAC conference will be a prominent face of Super Bowl XLV. The MAC will have 15 players on Super Bowl rosters, same as the Big Ten and more than the ACC (13), Big 12 (13), PAC-10 (10) and Big East (5). Only the SEC (18) will be better represented.
"I think it's certainly a tribute to our conference and the kind of football that we play," Heeke said. "There are obviously tremendous athletes and good football players in our league and they are going to be showcased in the Super Bowl. Sometimes people clearly underrate the Mid-American conference and the caliber of our football programs and the quality of the players that are involved."
The 15 MAC players on the two Super Bowl rosters PITTSBURGH
QB Charlie Batch (Eastern Michigan)
WR Antonio Brown (Central Michigan)
QB Byron Leftwich (Marshall)*
LB James Harrison (Kent State)
QB Ben Roethlisberger (Miami)
K Shaun Suisham (Bowling Green)
GREEN BAY
CB Atari Bigby (Central Florida)*
LB Diyral Briggs (BGSU)
TE Tom Crabtree (Miami)
CB Josh Gordy (CMU)
DE Cullen Jenkins (CMU)
WR Greg Jennings (Western Michigan)
OL T.J. Lang (EMU)
RB James Starks (Buffalo)
LB Frank Zombo (CMU)
*Marshall and Central Florida were MAC members during Leftwich's and Bigby's careers, but have since left the conference.
ttwentyman@detnews.com
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110126/SPORTS0101/101260330/Super-Bowl-XLV-fires-up-with-four-Chippewas#ixzz1IJ1aEBAp
Steelers Receiver Brown Made Key Plays in Playoff Victories
NY Times
Two Rookies Peak at the Right Time Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) ran with the ball after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in the A.F.C. Divisional Playoff Game.
By GREG BISHOP Published: February 1, 2011 ARLINGTON, Tex. — As the mayhem of media day unfolded all around him Tuesday, Antonio Brown retired to a far sideline at Cowboys Stadium. He wore a baseball cap turned backward and Gucci sunglasses, as if he wished to remain anonymous.
The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs. Go to The Fifth Down Blog Barton Silverman/The New York Times Brown at Media Day for Super Bowl XLV.
One month ago that strategy might have worked. But not here. Not anymore.
For all the attention lavished on the right arm of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the hair of safety Troy Polamalu and the beard of defensive end Brett Keisel, Brown, as much as any Steeler, is responsible for Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl return. Before the playoffs, he was a mostly anonymous rookie wide receiver. Now, he is the Steelers’ king of clutch.
“I’m still A. B.,” he told a handful of reporters. “I’m still Antonio Brown. I haven’t reached celebrity status. But people definitely know who I am now.”
Brown, 22, grew up in Miami, in neighborhoods infested with drugs and gangs, a place he compared with the video game Grand Theft Auto in way of explanation. But this area also produced a number of elite receivers, like Chad Ochocinco and Dwayne Bowe.
The common thread, Brown said, is streets that teach “survival techniques.”
As it was, Brown played quarterback in high school. He first tried receiver at a local all-star game. He walked on at Central Michigan. He declared early for the draft, after his junior season, and fell to the sixth round; 194 players were chosen before him.
In Pittsburgh’s first 11 games, Brown was inactive seven times. He caught 16 passes in the regular season, and 14 of those came in the final five games. His ascendance came steeply, sharply, as the season neared its end.
Brown often commiserated with Emmanuel Sanders, a good friend and fellow rookie wideout. They would play the Madden video game and lament their personal rankings, both of which were in the 50s, an insult, even for two relative unknowns.
Yet Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said he never doubted Brown was capable of major contributions. Tomlin described the Steelers’ philosophy as “every man in the helmet,” that he expects every player to make decisive plays, if called upon, at one time or another.
“We have had young men who show legitimate examples of that throughout the season for us, like Antonio Brown, having an opportunity to make splash plays,” Tomlin said. “We don’t grade on a curve. If I give any of these guys a helmet on Sunday, I expect them to put themselves in position to be the reason why we win.”
Brown embodied Tomlin’s philosophy throughout January. He hauled in a crucial, acrobatic 58-yard reception from Roethlisberger that set up the winning score against Baltimore in the divisional round. He did so by pinning the ball between his right hand and the emblem on his helmet.
The play evoked comparisons to David Tyree’s catch for the Giants in the Super Bowl three seasons ago. Brown, hoping to reach the game himself, added another round of heroics against the Jets for the A.F.C championship.
Again, his best plays came at crucial junctures. Like on the kickoff he returned 27 yards late in the fourth quarter, providing field position that allowed Pittsburgh to be less conservative in its play-calling, to better protect a 24-19 lead. Or the third-down catch he made later on that drive, a 14-yard strike that finished the Jets for good.
Such play reminded football aficionados of his father, Touchdown Eddie Brown, who Antonio described as a great influence. His father played 10 seasons in the Arena Football League, mostly with Albany, and he caught more than 300 touchdown passes. In 2006, he was named the best player in league history.
His son, once called upon, proved similarly electric. On his first N.F.L. play, in September against Tennessee, he took a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. Then came his playoff heroics, similar to his best games at Central Michigan, both in bowls in his final two seasons.
Brown would prefer, of course, that his best game is his next game, on the biggest stage of his young life. Hines Ward, a mentor, said he tried to temper expectations, to remind Brown that the perks, a police escort and the national stage, would mean little without a victory. Brown said he understood all that.
“I just want to keep my shades on, man,” he said.
A version of this article appeared in print on February 2, 2011, on page B17 of the New York edition.
Two Rookies Peak at the Right Time Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) ran with the ball after a catch against the Baltimore Ravens in the A.F.C. Divisional Playoff Game.
By GREG BISHOP Published: February 1, 2011 ARLINGTON, Tex. — As the mayhem of media day unfolded all around him Tuesday, Antonio Brown retired to a far sideline at Cowboys Stadium. He wore a baseball cap turned backward and Gucci sunglasses, as if he wished to remain anonymous.
The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs. Go to The Fifth Down Blog Barton Silverman/The New York Times Brown at Media Day for Super Bowl XLV.
One month ago that strategy might have worked. But not here. Not anymore.
For all the attention lavished on the right arm of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the hair of safety Troy Polamalu and the beard of defensive end Brett Keisel, Brown, as much as any Steeler, is responsible for Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl return. Before the playoffs, he was a mostly anonymous rookie wide receiver. Now, he is the Steelers’ king of clutch.
“I’m still A. B.,” he told a handful of reporters. “I’m still Antonio Brown. I haven’t reached celebrity status. But people definitely know who I am now.”
Brown, 22, grew up in Miami, in neighborhoods infested with drugs and gangs, a place he compared with the video game Grand Theft Auto in way of explanation. But this area also produced a number of elite receivers, like Chad Ochocinco and Dwayne Bowe.
The common thread, Brown said, is streets that teach “survival techniques.”
As it was, Brown played quarterback in high school. He first tried receiver at a local all-star game. He walked on at Central Michigan. He declared early for the draft, after his junior season, and fell to the sixth round; 194 players were chosen before him.
In Pittsburgh’s first 11 games, Brown was inactive seven times. He caught 16 passes in the regular season, and 14 of those came in the final five games. His ascendance came steeply, sharply, as the season neared its end.
Brown often commiserated with Emmanuel Sanders, a good friend and fellow rookie wideout. They would play the Madden video game and lament their personal rankings, both of which were in the 50s, an insult, even for two relative unknowns.
Yet Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin said he never doubted Brown was capable of major contributions. Tomlin described the Steelers’ philosophy as “every man in the helmet,” that he expects every player to make decisive plays, if called upon, at one time or another.
“We have had young men who show legitimate examples of that throughout the season for us, like Antonio Brown, having an opportunity to make splash plays,” Tomlin said. “We don’t grade on a curve. If I give any of these guys a helmet on Sunday, I expect them to put themselves in position to be the reason why we win.”
Brown embodied Tomlin’s philosophy throughout January. He hauled in a crucial, acrobatic 58-yard reception from Roethlisberger that set up the winning score against Baltimore in the divisional round. He did so by pinning the ball between his right hand and the emblem on his helmet.
The play evoked comparisons to David Tyree’s catch for the Giants in the Super Bowl three seasons ago. Brown, hoping to reach the game himself, added another round of heroics against the Jets for the A.F.C championship.
Again, his best plays came at crucial junctures. Like on the kickoff he returned 27 yards late in the fourth quarter, providing field position that allowed Pittsburgh to be less conservative in its play-calling, to better protect a 24-19 lead. Or the third-down catch he made later on that drive, a 14-yard strike that finished the Jets for good.
Such play reminded football aficionados of his father, Touchdown Eddie Brown, who Antonio described as a great influence. His father played 10 seasons in the Arena Football League, mostly with Albany, and he caught more than 300 touchdown passes. In 2006, he was named the best player in league history.
His son, once called upon, proved similarly electric. On his first N.F.L. play, in September against Tennessee, he took a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. Then came his playoff heroics, similar to his best games at Central Michigan, both in bowls in his final two seasons.
Brown would prefer, of course, that his best game is his next game, on the biggest stage of his young life. Hines Ward, a mentor, said he tried to temper expectations, to remind Brown that the perks, a police escort and the national stage, would mean little without a victory. Brown said he understood all that.
“I just want to keep my shades on, man,” he said.
A version of this article appeared in print on February 2, 2011, on page B17 of the New York edition.
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh Steelers
Lester Jean Florida Atlantic
Julius Gregory Shaw University
Jas Hopkins Northern Illinois
Tony Goodman Chowan College
