Heath Miller is Steelers Digest Player of the Week

[hawaiiansteel]

Heath Miller is Steelers Digest Player of the Week

by Bob Labriola
Steelers Digest

He caught six passes for 53 yards, including one for a touchdown, his fifth of the season, plus another for a two-point conversion that tied the game, 14-14, at halftime. On top of all that, he was a part of the blocking for a run game that controlled the second half for the Steelers.

Heath Miller is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.

Also considered were: Jonathan Dwyer, who rushed for 122 yards on 17 carries (7.2 average) and was a big part of the team’s ability to kill the final minutes of the game while keeping the ball away from the Bengals offense; Willie Colon, who was moving people to open holes for the running game, especially on a couple of critical third downs; Lawrence Timmons, who led the team with 11 tackles; Antonio Brown, who caught seven passes for 96 yards and had a whole bunch of punt return yardage nullified by penalties; Keenan Lewis, who had three tackles and two passes defensed; and LaMarr Woodley, who had three tackles and the interception in the first half that turned the tide of the game.

[URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Miller-is-Steelers-Digest-Player-of-the-Week/7cec7287-c032-4ef9-b777-e39b38dc5bb1[/URL]

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Players of the game?? Starks, Colon, Legs, Foster, Adams.

They had every excuse in the book to pack it in and allow both Ben and Dwyer to get killed. All we heard all week is why they are expected to fail. Instead they were keeping Ben upright, and game him plenty of time for the most part, against the toughest pass rush D that they have played against. Also, they opened up canyons for Dwyer to run through.

And look who did it.......

Starks - often under-appreciated during his career here and always being replaced. Coming off of ACL surgery in the off-season and signed late.
Colon - RT turned LG who has missed two years and has been more responsible for yards going backwards than forwards so far this season.
Legs - UDFA bench guy who gets called upon to replace pro bowl first rounder, and delivered big tonight.
Foster - Another UDFA who has a starting job due to injury only. Another under-appreciated guy who barely gets noticed...which is good.
Adams - From off the board druggie, to horrible camp, to solid outing when needed. He got lots of help from Heath, but did okay in a big road win.

We often hear about the standard being the standard, and next man up, and lots of other Tomlinisms.....but tonight we saw it as well.

[ikestops85]

I think I'm coming around to the idea of trying Legs at center and moving Pouncey to left guard. Legs seems to do a very good job at center ... much better than he does at guard. When Decastro comes back I'd like to see us with Starks, Pouncey, Legs, DeCastro, and Gilbert as starters and Foster, Colon and Adams as the backups. With some time that could be a pretty decent line.

[Slapstick]

I think I'm coming around to the idea of trying Legs at center and moving Pouncey to left guard. Legs seems to do a very good job at center ... much better than he does at guard. When Decastro comes back I'd like to see us with Starks, Pouncey, Legs, DeCastro, and Gilbert as starters and Foster, Colon and Adams as the backups. With some time that could be a pretty decent line.

It's hard to move your All-Pro Center to a different position so you can make room for your UDFA backup to get more playing time...

I'm not saying that I disagree, but moving a guy just for the sake of doing so may not be the best idea...

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

The way I'm feeling now, if I were Coach I'd say to Decastro and Pouncey when they get healthy - "You want a hat? Go take it away from those guys ... if you can!".

[ikestops85]

It's hard to move your All-Pro Center to a different position so you can make room for your UDFA backup to get more playing time...

I'm not saying that I disagree, but moving a guy just for the sake of doing so may not be the best idea...

I don't think it will be just for the sake of doing so. I think it will give us a better overall offensive line. One that can both run and pass block. I do know what you mean though about moving an All Pro center to a different position ... it's not likely to happen.

[hawaiiansteel]

Second Read: Showing Heath Miller some love



With five touchdowns already, Heath Miller is poised to shatter his career high of seven. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

“Second Read” rewinds the tape after each NFL weekend to determine why the games played out the way that they did … and what it all may mean for the rest of the season.

There are flashier tight ends around the league, players like Rob Gronkowski or Vernon Davis who change defensive game plans and steal headlines.

The Steelers probably wouldn’t trade Heath Miller for any of them.

Miller is more from the “traditional tight end” cut than the Gronkowskis of the world, but he is invaluable in Pittsburgh’s offense — and has been for several years. How much the Steelers rely on him was on display Sunday in their come-from-behind 24-17 win over Cincinnati.

“Heath gives us consistent effort on a week-in and week-out basis, and sometimes when we win, it gets highlighted as it should,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “But his performance is in line with what he’s done all year.”

The key highlights from that performance Sunday:

• With Pittsburgh down 14-6 late in the first half, Miller worked himself open in the end zone against very tight coverage, then made a tough catch over the middle for a touchdown.

• Miller then hauled in the ensuing two-point conversion on a corner fade route often reserved for a team’s most athletic receiver.

• Finally, Miller had the key block on Chris Rainey’s decisive 11-yard touchdown run, pulling to fill a gap up the middle and taking out a linebacker to spring Rainey into the secondary.

None of that was out of the ordinary — Miller finished with six catches for 53 yards, and he had several solid blocks, including a punishing one on a wide receiver screen. Miller may be one of the most underappreciated players in the league, but he showed again Sunday why he’s still a sensational tight end.

[URL]http://nfl.si.com/2012/10/23/second-read-showing-heath-miller-some-love/?sct=nfl_wr_a1[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

The way I'm feeling now, if I were Coach I'd say to Decastro and Pouncey when they get healthy - "You want a hat? Go take it away from those guys ... if you can!".

It shouldn't be all that hard for a couple of top-level talents to overtake a couple of workmanlike utilitymen. Pouncey and DeCastro or Legursky and Foster. Hmmm...let me think which pair I prefer...

[hawaiiansteel]

Ben Roethlisberger nominates Heath Miller for president, appoints himself campaign manager

By Neal Coolong on Oct 26



Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has never been shy of expressing his appreciation of the amount of talent possessed by tight end Heath Miller. Now, Roethlisberger plans on taking the show all the way to the White House.

It's an election year, and nothing pertaining to Washington D.C. is without its twangs of politics.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger even got with the times, announcing to the media Thursday Steelers tight end Heath Miller "should run for president." Steel City Insider's Jim Wexell noted the conversation in a piece about Heath Miller's viability for the AFC Pro Bowl.

Roethlisberger would go on to say he's even going to run Miller's campaign. He should start with these stats.

According to Wexell, 47 percent of the Steelers' red zone drives resulted in touchdowns. Seven percent of those plays, and 15 percent of the passes called went to Miller.

In 2012, the Steelers are scoring touchdowns on 55 percent of their trips to the red zone, and 20 percent of the plays and 38 percent of the passes have gone to Miller.

Sounds like Commander-in-Chief credentials. Efficient and measurable results in the face of adversity.

And what about walking tall and carrying a big stick? Miller's taken out more defensive backs on screens than the NFL's offensive-favoring rules have.

It's unfortunate, in this Fantasy Football-obsessed world, Miller isn't known fully as the out-and-out best all-around tight end in the game, but there isn't one more versatile than he is - and yes, I know who plays in New England.

[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/10/26/3558614/steelers-red-zone-stats-production-heath-miller-ben-roethlsiberger[/URL]