DeAngelo Williams

[Slapstick]

McCarron, unfortunately, is the exact quarterback that the Steelers don't need to face because he is still getting his feet under him and is very careful. He is more than willing to take underneath stuff all day and then take the occasional shot down field to Green (as he did last game). His 67% completion percentage tells me he isn't afraid to throw it to the underneath routes which has been killing the Steeler defense for years.

Pappy

But is rookie AJ McCarron going to be able to Tom Brady/Drew Brees the Steelers to death on a consistent basis? Or is he going to make mistakes?

[SS Laser]

But is rookie AJ McCarron going to be able to Tom Brady/Drew Brees the Steelers to death on a consistent basis? Or is he going to make mistakes?

This will depend on how many drops the TE's and WR's have. Let's hope "Ronald McDonald" is feeling the playoff pressure and is over amped up and his passes are off the mark! Making it hard on his guys to make a catch!

[K Train]

McCarron, unfortunately, is the exact quarterback that the Steelers don't need to face because he is still getting his feet under him and is very careful. He is more than willing to take underneath stuff all day and then take the occasional shot down field to Green (as he did last game). His 67% completion percentage tells me he isn't afraid to throw it to the underneath routes which has been killing the Steeler defense for years.

Pappy

The struggle is do you want to play close up and try to force him to throw into tight windows? which is he isnt very good at. id love to see another 20 minute celebration from Gay on a pick 6. You also dont want to give him anything cheap down the field, hes not a great down field passer and he doesnt throw with anticipation very well.

You dont want him getting into a short game rhythm, you also dont want him getting away with cheap passes down field. Pressure is going to be huge in this game, he does get rattled but he also has a good oline.

[RuthlessBurgher]

DeAngelo Williams still in a boot with ankle injury



Posted by Michael David Smith on January 6, 2016, 12:36 PM EST

The Steelers may be down to their third-string running back on Saturday against the Bengals.

DeAngelo Williams, who sprained his ankle on Sunday, is still in a protective boot and declined to say when it’s coming off, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network reports.


Maybe Williams will heal quickly, but if he’s still in a boot on Wednesday, it seems like a long shot that he’ll be ready to play on Saturday. With Le’Veon Bell on injured reserve, the Steelers would be down to Jordan Todman and Fitzgerald Toussaint at running back against the Bengals if Williams can’t go.


After Bell went down early in the season, Williams led the team with 200 carries for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. Neither Toussaint nor Todman did much this year; Toussaint had 18 carries for 42 yards and Todman had four carries for 22 yards, and neither of them caught a pass. Losing Williams could be a significant blow to the Steelers.


[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/01/06/deangelo-williams-still-in-a-boot-with-ankle-injury/[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Andy Dalton watches Wednesday’s practice



Posted by Josh Alper on January 6, 2016, 1:21 PM EST

Andy Dalton got the cast off his injured right thumb this week, but the long layoff and need to rebuild strength in his throwing hand meant the Bengals were preparing AJ McCarron to start on Saturday night.

As the week progresses, there’s nothing to suggest that they need to deviate from that plan in the slightest. Dalton was an observer only at Wednesday’s practice and Geoff Hobson of the team’s website writes that “the closest he came to wearing a helmet came when carrying the one that belongs to rookie defensive lineman Marcus Hardison.”


Coach Marvin Lewis said Tuesday that it was possible that Dalton could dress for the game against the Steelers as a backup, although that seems like a long shot if he’s not dressing for practice during the week. Keith Wenning will likely be the No. 2 behind McCarron and the Bengals will surely be hoping that Wenning’s first snaps in a meaningful NFL game wait for some point in the future.


Hobson reports that tight end Ryan Hewitt and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson also missed practice on Wednesday.


[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/01/06/andy-dalton-watches-wednesdays-practice/[/URL]

[Steelwolf]

Damn shame about dw

[feltdizz]

Smh... I half joked that DW was an awesome pick up and would do well until he gets injured.

I know injuries are random but I watched Williams and Stewart in Carolina and they were always getting the high ankle sprain injuries late in the season.

Stewart has missed the last 2 games in Carolina.

Wondering if next year we bench a RB for the last few games just so we have one for the playoffs.

[Slapstick]

DeAngelo Williams still in a boot with ankle injury



Posted by Michael David Smith on January 6, 2016, 12:36 PM EST

The Steelers may be down to their third-string running back on Saturday against the Bengals.

DeAngelo Williams, who sprained his ankle on Sunday, is still in a protective boot and declined to say when it’s coming off, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network reports.


Maybe Williams will heal quickly, but if he’s still in a boot on Wednesday, it seems like a long shot that he’ll be ready to play on Saturday. With Le’Veon Bell on injured reserve, the Steelers would be down to Jordan Todman and Fitzgerald Toussaint at running back against the Bengals if Williams can’t go.


After Bell went down early in the season, Williams led the team with 200 carries for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. Neither Toussaint nor Todman did much this year; Toussaint had 18 carries for 42 yards and Todman had four carries for 22 yards, and neither of them caught a pass. Losing Williams could be a significant blow to the Steelers.


[URL]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/01/06/deangelo-williams-still-in-a-boot-with-ankle-injury/[/URL]

Didn't Toussaint catch the 2 pt conversion that people were complaining about?

[RobinCole]

Yesterday the reports were that DW had more of a foot injury than an ankle injury. Whichever. The reason he has an injury is because a very large man fell on his foot (or ankle). If the foot or ankle are caught in the wrong position when heavy weight falls on it, injuries tend to result. It's not because he and Stewart "were always getting the high ankle sprain injuries late in the season".

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Smh... I half joked that DW was an awesome pick up and would do well until he gets injured.

I know injuries are random but I watched Williams and Stewart in Carolina and they were always getting the high ankle sprain injuries late in the season.

Stewart has missed the last 2 games in Carolina.

Wondering if next year we bench a RB for the last few games just so we have one for the playoffs.

Been DW's problem for his career. I argued for nearly a decade that Carolina had two top-10 backs on the same team. But, DW's injuries were the only reason they drafted the second one.

Is it time for the Steelers to do the same for LeVeon? Or am I the only one concerned by 3 consecutive seasons with "season ending injuries"? (actually the first wasn't season ending, was it - it happened early on)...

Whatever the case, is it time to go get a versatile mid-rounder (like many who wanted David Johnson)... Let DeVille be the first to say it: Josh Fergerson, anyone?

[K Train]

Williams had missed a total of 2 games when they drafted Stewart...it was bad drafting, then bad management resigning BOTH to unfriendly cap deals.

2 more games in 2009, season ending foot sprain in 2010, no missed games in 11, 12, 13 and was banged up all last year....really not that injury prone, i would argue stewart is far more injury prone.

Unfortunate, but hes been a major help in getting them this far. Hopefully the boot is just precautionary and he can shed it tomorrow and start jogging. I just cant believe they are going to go into this with just Touissaint and Todman if Deangelo cant go

[K Train]

Chris Adamski @C_AdamskiTrib

DeAngelo Williams in the locker room sans walking boot, appearing to walk unencumbered. For what that's worth.

Declines to speak w/media.

[Oviedo]

McCarron, unfortunately, is the exact quarterback that the Steelers don't need to face because he is still getting his feet under him and is very careful. He is more than willing to take underneath stuff all day and then take the occasional shot down field to Green (as he did last game). His 67% completion percentage tells me he isn't afraid to throw it to the underneath routes which has been killing the Steeler defense for years.

Pappy

Exactly the point I was making in another thread. McCarron isn't as bad as some hope he will be. He isn't going to be a liability for the Bumgals. Only way he becomes a liability is if we start to pressure and put him on his back. He is a smart young QB who has a good skillset.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Exactly the point I was making in another thread. McCarron isn't as bad as some hope he will be. He isn't going to be a liability for the Bumgals. Only way he becomes a liability is if we start to pressure and put him on his back. He is a smart young QB who has a good skillset.

agreed. if he doesn't make a couple of mistakes we could be in trouble. i hope butler forces the issue and makes him make quick decisions and put him in uncomfortable situations

[K Train]

They will give him short stuff all day and try to pressure him...just cant give up cheap stuff down field. Mccarron has not played well, hes limited physically, throws with poor anticipation, and can be rattled. He may complete 70% of his passes, but I dont see him being very successful. Could be wrong, but this is a dream matchup for the steelers. If he is the exact QB that the steelers dont need to face, then there truly was never any hope against actual good QBs