Hines Ward on Darrelle Revis: 'He can be beaten'

[hawaiiansteel]

Jan 19, 2011

Hines Ward on Darrelle Revis: 'He can be beaten'

By Sean Leahy, USA TODAY

http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/the-huddle/2011/01/19/hinesx-inset-community.jpg

Hines Ward may be the next receiver ticketed for Revis Island. But the Pittsburgh Steelers wideout has the confidence that he can muscle his way off of it.

Ward is likely to be matched up with New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis often during Sunday's AFC championship game.

The two-time Super Bowl champion said that despite Revis' strong record of accomplishment, he's not intimidated.

"Can he be beaten? Yeah, he can be beaten," Ward said, via ESPN. "But at the same time he's one of those guys you don't want to mess with. If you make a mistake he's a game-changer.

"A lot of quarterbacks just stay a away from him. So as a wide receiver you can get frustrated, because you're not even getting looked at when he's covering you."

Ward had just two catches for 34 yards when the Jets beat the Steelers 22-17 in Week 15. He's part of a receiving corps that has several blossoming young players such as Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown.

What's his philosophy when being matched against Revis?

"For me, I just have to stay focused and not get frustrated," Ward said. "It's not about Revis against me. It's Steelers vs. the Jets. So I have to go out there and work my tail off to get open.

"He's one of the best cornerbacks in our league. He's probably the best cornerback in our league. I look at it as a challenge."

http://burgh.us/19n

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

My heart sank when I read the headline of the post, "Oh no, the smack talk war is starting, and we pulled the trigger first" ... but reading further, where he calls him the best corner in the league, that made me feel better.

[jj28west]

Except if Wallace came clean off the line with a double move in the pattern I would not challenge him on this big stage,

[papillon]

and, this is why the Steelers are successful the players can check their egos for the good of the team. Do you think you ever hear Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens make this statement?

"For me, I just have to stay focused and not get frustrated," Ward said. "It's not about Revis against me. It's Steelers vs. the Jets. So I have to go out there and work my tail off to get open."

Pappy

[aggiebones]

My thought was why would Revis cover Ward, the old Geezer on thye squad. Just have Ward run 2 yard outs and play 10 on 10.

[Shawn]

I suspect a healthy Revis will cover Wallace. I don't believe it matters. I don't think anyone can keep up with Wallace not even Revis.

[Scarletfire1970]

I suspect a healthy Revis will cover Wallace. I don't believe it matters. I don't think anyone can keep up with Wallace not even Revis.
Revis won't cover Wallace, that will be Cromarti. Cromarti has the top speed to cover Wallace, that isn't Revis's game.

[Flasteel]

I suspect a healthy Revis will cover Wallace. I don't believe it matters. I don't think anyone can keep up with Wallace not even Revis.
Revis won't cover Wallace, that will be Cromarti. Cromarti has the top speed to cover Wallace, that isn't Revis's game.

It's not a matter of Cromartie having more speed than Revis, it's about giving safety help over the top no matter who is covering Wallace. Shawn is right, Revis can't match Wallace's top-end speed. Instead, you assign Cromartie to Wallace and give him help. You stick Revis on Ward and lock him down. I'm sure they'll mix it up a little, but this is probably what we'll see most of the game again.

[Doyle37]

Do the Steelers go after him like they did to Champ Bailey in '05 ?? Big Ben's pump fakes just might get Revis to bite. How about a double move on Revis to start the game ???

[Ghost]

They've been getting better each week, but you'll have Revis on Ward or Wallace and Cromarti on the other one, so it will come down to how well the rookies: Sanders and Brown play under pressure. Brown had the biggest catch of the game last week and Sanders looked great too.

Another big factor not getting national attention - Miller didn't play last time and could be a HUGE factor this game when the jets bring the pressure.

[RuthlessBurgher]

They've been getting better each week, but you'll have Revis on Ward or Wallace and Cromarti on the other one, so it will come down to how well the rookies: Sanders and Brown play under pressure. Brown had the biggest catch of the game last week and Sanders looked great too.

Another big factor not getting national attention - Miller didn't play last time and could be a HUGE factor this game when the jets bring the pressure.

Yup...I expect big things from Heath in this game. In the last game against the Jets, if Spaeth doesn't knock away a pass intended for Sanders in the back of the end zone with around 10 seconds to play, we win that game (even with the Brad Smith KO return for TD and the safety).

[hawaiiansteel]

Pittsburgh Steelers like to make a play last

By Sam Farmer
January 20, 2011, 6:10 p.m.

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2011-01/58924746.jpg

For all the Pittsburgh Steelers have -- an elite quarterback, the best safety in the game, a record six Lombardi trophies -- there's one thing they lack, something that's conspicuously missing from every spring workout and training camp practice:

A whistle.

That's by design. To condition their receivers to keep working to get open, and their defensive players never to give up, Steelers coaches swallow their whistles during passing drills.

Ben Roethlisberger is their quarterback, after all, and nobody in football does a better job of twisting away from would-be tacklers and turning a nothing play into a big one.

"We'll just let the play get extended until the ball is thrown," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians explained Thursday of the philosophy in practice. He said even if Roethlisberger is "sacked" -- although that's only simulated in practice -- he's instructed to keep scrambling.

"The defense always gets mad because they thought they'd sacked us," Arians added. "It's fun."

Clearly, it's also effective. The Steelers play host to the New York Jets in the AFC championship game Sunday, and Roethlisberger's ability to keep plays alive -- his receivers relentlessly churning to get open -- figures to pose a daunting defensive challenge.

Jets defensive end Trevor Pryce said Roethlisberger is "tougher than everybody else."

"It's one thing to be tough as an offensive lineman, but as a quarterback?" Pryce said, adding: "If he wasn't a quarterback, he'd be a defensive end. He's as big as one."

Jets All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis said the plays can last 10 to 15 seconds, and New York's coaches have implored players to "plaster" their men in coverage.

"Plastering is, basically, just latching on to your guy," Revis said. "If you're playing against a quarterback like Ben, just latch on to [the receiver] as tight as you can when the play extends. A receiver might run a curl route or a slant, but his next read, if he sees Ben scrambling, then he'll break it off and run vertical or maybe turn around and run to the sideline to get a catch on the sideline."

It's incredibly difficult for a defensive back, even one as good as Revis, to stay with a receiver that long. The Jets played brilliantly against New England last Sunday, disrupting Tom Brady's normally deadly rhythm passing attack. But Pittsburgh takes a much different approach, as if the play hasn't even started until Roethlisberger is on his third or fourth read.

Of course, he has to have people on the other end of those passes working just as hard. Chief among those is Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who has an uncanny ability to get open even though he's far from being the fastest player on the field.

Ward says having been a college quarterback and knowing the game from that perspective has helped him know how to get open.

"You just have to know coverage, and how the defense is playing me," said Ward, 34. "You've got to know how to exploit it. I'm a great student of the game. I've always said, 'When I can't get open on a guy that I think I'm supposed to get open on, I'll leave the game.'"

Ward had 59 catches this season, his lowest total in 10 years, and had five touchdowns, his fewest since 2004. But he's quick to point out he missed one game, sat out part of another, and his receptions total is only one shy of Mike Wallace's team-leading 60.

Still, the Jets are likely to put Revis, their best corner, on Ward.

"I may not be where I was when I was 22 or 23," Ward said. "But if everybody thinks I'm falling off or something, why would Revis waste his time with me? Statistically, people are always going to say, 'Yeah, he's losing a step.' But I've been losing a step since I was 30. You look at it, and it seems like, 'How is this guy still getting open?' But I've been playing this game for a long time."

And no surprise here: He hasn't heard the whistle.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-far ... 162.column (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-farmer-nfl-20110121,0,4110162.column)

[pick6]

Great thread.

I'm starting to think that we can pose a big problem for the Jets defense.

1. Dump off to Mendy and Mewalde especially on the blitzing side. Their bringing the DB blitz from the edges. I would not block it unless I'm in a third and long situation. They have very little speed at the linebacker position. I really want Mendy isolated against these extremely slow linebackers in the passing game in space. This will open up things for our plethora of weapons.

2. Using the pump fake against the Jets DBs, they are very jumpy and they want to pick Ben really bad.

3. Lobbying for the blatant pass interference that they will do for sure.

4. And as always incorporate the quick vertical slants against the Jets lesser Dbs. And go after Cromarties side with the wide receiver screens. He is not physical enough. But then again if Cro is on Wallace that might be a wash. Maybe pump fake it, get him to pause then get past Cro for the easy catch.

5. And that end around should go to Brown or maybe Sanders but not Wallace.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers' Taylor defends his turf

By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times
Thursday January 20, 2011 12:03 AM


Ike Taylor doesn’t have an island named after him. But his territory in the Steelers’ secondary has become a troubling place for opposing wide receivers.

Never is Taylor mentioned by the national media in any discussion about the NFL’s top cornerbacks. Never does he receive national acclaim like Darrelle Revis of the Jets.

But Taylor has defended the pass well enough since becoming a starter in 2005 that he believes he’s earned his own piece of the turf.

“Revis has his own island,” Taylor said, “but I’ve got like a little block. And I don’t want anybody coming into my block or disrespecting my block.”

"What’s the name of Taylor’s block?

“I don’t have a name for it, but it’s my block,” he said.

On Sunday when the Steelers play the Jets in the AFC Championship Game, Revis will take on either Hines Ward or Mike Wallace man-to-man.

Revis, an Aliquippa native, held Ward to just two catches for 34 yards when the Jets upset the Steelers at Heinz Field on Dec. 19. But in that game, Wallace caught seven passes for 102 yards.

So maybe Revis may be assigned to cover Wallace this time.

Taylor, however, will stick to the man he watched five weeks ago. Once again, he’ll shadow Santonio Holmes, the former Steeler.

“I’m asking for that … me and ‘Tone,” Taylor said. “He’s their fourth-quarter (guy). He’s their last-drive guy. He’s their big-play guy. He’s their guy. If he’s their guy, I want to be on that guy.

“I know what ‘Tone brings to the table. ‘Tone knows what I bring to the table. It’s going to be a good match-up.”

In that 22-17 loss to the Jets earlier this season, Taylor did a solid job against Holmes, who totaled only 40 yards on six catches.

Holmes didn’t put up big numbers in last week’s 28-21 upset in New England (three catches for 20 yards).

But he did come down with a sensational 7-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that gave the Jets a 21-11 lead.

If Holmes didn’t make that tip-toe catch in the corner of the end zone on third-and-4, the Jets would have kicked a field goal.

“That’s what he does. That’s a normal play for Santonio,” said Taylor, who got his second Super Bowl ring thanks to Holmes’ historic catch in the Steelers’ SB 43 win over Arizona two years ago.

“I expect that out of ‘Tone. He’s capable of doing that week in and week out.

It’ll be Taylor’s job Sunday to prevent Holmes from catching any TD catches.

If Taylor does put the clamps on Holmes and the Steelers win, maybe he’ll finally get some national recognition.

Taylor has never received any postseason honors for his play in his eight seasons. He’s never been to the Pro Bowl. Making the NFL’s all-star game has long been one of Taylor’s personal goals.

But like his teammates, he prefers to play in the Super Bowl.

“What’s kept Ike from not being considered one of the league’s top cornerbacks is the fact he hasn’t had a lot of interceptions over the years,” Ward said. “But we know what Ike brings to the table. He doesn’t have to prove anything to us. As far as we’re concerned, he plays at a Pro Bowl level for us.”

As Ward said, Taylor never has ranked among the league leaders in interceptions. He’s never had more than three in a season. He only has two this year. He only has 11 in his career. By comparison, Revis already has 16 career picks and he’s only in his fourth year.

However, Taylor has started on two Super Bowl teams.

“Man, it doesn’t even matter,” Taylor said of his lack of national recognition. “Reputation isn’t everything. It’s all about having pride and making plays.”

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sport ... -turf.html (http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sports_details/article/1501/2011/january/20/steelers-taylor-defends-his-turf.html)

[hawaiiansteel]

Updated: January 21, 2011

Jets DBs riled up over Hines Ward

By Ian Begley
Special to ESPNNewYork.com

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0121/nfl_g_ward11_300.jpg

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Antonio Cromartie knows the perfect way to stop Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward from throwing a blind-side block Sunday in the AFC Championship Game.

"Just tell [him] if he do it again you're gonna kick his ass," Cromartie said Friday afternoon.

Ward has developed a reputation because of his penchant for hitting opponents who aren't looking in his direction. Some Jets on Friday called his play "dirty" and "cheap."

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the Jets refer to Ward as "the toughest player in the league, when no one's looking."

Blocking when meeting your opponent face to face? No problem. But some Jets say Hines Ward drills foes when they aren't looking.

"We're going to deal with him early so he knows what type of game it's going to be, and that none of that stuff is being tolerated," Jets safety James Ihedigbo said.

Like a tone-setting hit?

"Hell yeah," the safety said.

Safety Eric Smith hesitated to say what would happen if Ward serves up any cheap shots on Sunday. Why? Because Smith is worried such words might incur a fine from the league.

"If I finish what I said and then do what I planned on doing, I'm going to get fined," Smith said.

Smith said Ward took some cheat shots at the Baltimore Ravens last Saturday in the Steelers' divisional round victory.

"We saw some of those plays, like in the Ravens game, he's out there hitting Dawan Landry in the back, he came across and hit Ray Lewis in the back," Smith said. "Ed Reed was 30 yards downfield and he's going down and hitting him. It's just unnecessary things like that that make you mad as a defender."

Prior to the 2009 season, the NFL implemented a new rule stating that a 15-yard penalty would be assessed if a player delivers a blind-side block to the head of a defender using his helmet, forearm or shoulder. The new statute was commonly referred to as the "Hines Ward Rule."

"If you hit a guy like that, when he's looking at you and it's face to face then I'll be like, 'Hey, he's a pretty tough player,'" Ihedigbo said. "But if you hit someone in their back when they're pursuing a play or they're not even looking, that's a cheap shot."

The Jets coaching staff put together a video of Ward's hits prior to the Week 15 road win over the Steelers to alert defensive players.

Everything you need to know about the Jets' AFC title game matchup can be found here:
Jets Center

"That makes you mad when you see stuff like that," Smith said.

Cromartie said that he doesn't really care if Ward hits opponents with blind-side blocks -- as long as he can hit back.

"I really don't care. You smash him in the mouth, he's going to smash back, whatever," Cromartie said. "Does he do it while you're not looking? Yeah, he does. But who doesn't?"

The Jets corner allowed that Ward's hits "can be" dirty. When such hits occur, Cromartie suggests that players "grab his ass by the throat and choke [him]."

Friday evening on SNY's "Loud Mouths," Cromartie said Ward is not "man enough" to hit players while they are looking.

At least one Jet respects Ward: Rex Ryan. The head coach game-planned for Ward and the Steelers during his 10-year tenure on the Ravens' coaching staff, so he is well-aware of Ward's reputation.

"He'll look for you now. If he can hit you, he's going to. And I've seen him knock out a ton of guys before," Ryan said. "Let's face it, they changed a rule [for] Hines Ward about hitting a defenseless player and all that kind of stuff.

"But, quite honestly, he's just finishing plays and there was no rule [before]. So he went out and he plays hard and he plays to the whistle. And that's the kind of guy he is. I respect the heck out of Hines Ward."

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/ ... id=6046723 (http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=6046723)

[RuthlessBurgher]

Cromartie is talking like a bad@$$ now? Seriously? ANTONIO #&@%ING CROMARTIE?!?!

Need I remind him of last year, when he was still with the Chargers, how he could have tackled Shonn Greene at midfield, but instead just stands there and watches him rumble 50 more yards into the end zone instead? The replay from the end zone angle is particularly damning...watch him (#31 in blue) punk out 27 seconds in. Absolutely spineless. I think this particular play is what convinced San Diego to send him packing. And this guy is supposed to be a big man now? Whatever. All talk. Are you gonna bark all day, little doggie? Or are you gonna bite?

[youtube:2rojbhyd]pE9mgLp1nAI[/youtube:2rojbhyd]

[hawaiiansteel]

Harris: Revis' task Sunday a curious one

By John Harris, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, January 22, 2011


He's reputedly better than Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha, Denver's Champ Bailey, Philadelphia's Asante Samuel, Green Bay's Charles Woodson and the Steelers' Ike Taylor — elite cornerbacks who are considered the best of the best.

So why won't Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets be playing his familiar role as shutdown corner against the Steelers in Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Heinz Field?

Revis, a three-time Pro Bowler in only his fourth season, late of Pitt and the pride of Aliquippa, is expected to start matched against Steelers receiver Hines Ward.

On paper, Revis vs. Ward makes sense.

Ward is the Steelers' career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. That's saying something, considering the company he keeps is with Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.

However, at this stage in his career, Ward isn't as big a threat in the passing game as fellow wideout Mike Wallace. Ward, 34, has become a possession receiver. In the season's first meeting won by the Jets, Revis held Ward to two catches for 34 yards.

Ward's strength as a first-rate blocker makes him a bigger factor in the run game than Wallace, who isn't as adept in that area. However, Revis' strength is shutting down the opponent's top receiver, not coming up to stop the run.

Revis should be matched against Wallace, a threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball. Wallace torched Antonio Cromartie, the Jets' other starting cornerback, for seven receptions and 102 yards in last month's 22-17 loss.

Wallace averaged 21 yards a catch this season. He accumulated 500 more yards than Ward and doubled Ward's touchdown output despite having just one more catch.

It's incomprehensible that Revis won't be staring at Wallace from across the line of scrimmage. Why isn't the league's top cover corner being assigned to stop the Steelers' top receiving threat in the biggest game of the year?

"I don't know why he didn't cover me (the first time),'' said Wallace, who was targeted 10 times in the first meeting against the Jets. "I think Cromartie's a really good player himself. I had to worry about him the whole game. It really doesn't matter. It's going to be a long day for whoever checks me.''

It will be interesting to see if Revis gets the opportunity to make Wallace eat those words. That's how reputations are made — great players achieving greatness in big games. But it doesn't appear that Revis will get the chance.

Is it because Wallace had a big game against the Jets the first time, and that Revis was coming back from a hamstring injury and didn't think he could keep up with Wallace, among the fastest players in the league? Is it because Revis is again experiencing hamstring issues (he was limited at Friday's final practice) that resulted from him missing training camp during a 35-day contract holdout?

Revis can be sensitive to what he believes is unfair criticism of his play. When New England's Randy Moss burned him for a touchdown catch in the second game of the season, Revis indicated his hamstring was bothering him.

To which Jets coach Rex Ryan replied, "Did he get beat for a touchdown? Yeah ... and he's going to get beat again for a touchdown this season no matter if he's 100 percent, 90 percent, whatever. He's a great player. They all get beat.''

Ward said injuries are an occupational hazard. If you're healthy enough to play, play. If not, don't take the field.

Will Revis be playing at full speed Sunday?

"I think so,'' Ward said. "Who's full speed (this late in the season)?''

Taylor, who routinely faces the opponents' top receiver, will be responsible for trying to stop former teammate Santonio Holmes. Taylor said it's standard operating procedure for the top corner to cover the top receiver.

"Whoever they feel is their No. 1 guy, I want to be on that guy,'' said Taylor, who held Baltimore 's Derrick Mason without a catch last week. "Regardless of who he is.''

The greater the player, the greater the challenge.

In his biggest challenge to date, Revis apparently won't receive the coveted assignment of trying to stop the Steelers' most dangerous receiver.

So what's wrong with this picture? Clearly, Revis' credentials indicate he's up for the challenge.

Read more: Harris: Revis' task Sunday a curious one - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1BjfKWuAY (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_719373.html#ixzz1BjfKWuAY)

[Crash]

Cromarte can't handle Wallace. The only way he can is if they allow the grabbing to continue.

I'm hoping a better (somewhat) Heinz Beach turf will give Wallace that extra half step to blow by him.