In a conference call on Wednesday, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin updated the statuses of four key players.
Safety Ryan Clark will not play because of a blood disorder that becomes dangerous in high altitude.
Linebacker James Harrison, a Pro Bowler in each of the last five years, practiced for the first time in the preseason on Monday. Harrison has been out of action since undergoing knee surgery on Aug. 15th.
“We’re just taking it day by day and his availability is going to be based on how he feels following some cumulative work over the course of the week,” Tomlin said. “I think Monday’s work was a positive day, but we’ll continue to watch and see where it takes us.”
“I’m coming along,” added Harrison in a separate call.
Similar to Harrison, it seems to be a wait-and-see situation for the running back Rashard Mendenhall.
Mendenhall has led the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. The 5th-year back injured his knee in the team’s final regular season game in 2011. On Monday, he hit the practice field for the first time since the injury. Tomlin called Mendenhall’s workout “favorable” and said that “his knee responded positively to the work.”
Wide receiver Mike Wallace was a third Steeler to practice for the first time in 2012 on Monday. As opposed to Harrison and Mendenhall, who are recovering from injuries, Wallace was returning from an offseason holdout. According to Tomlin, the role that Wallace plays on Sunday night will depend on how he does in practice throughout the remainder of the week.
“We’re going to rev up the environment as we prepare and get closer to game action,” Tomlin said. “I think he’ll show us continually over the course of the week his overall readiness.”
As Tomlin will re-evaluate the situations of those three players later in the week, he’s focused now on preparing for a Denver Broncos team that is very different from the one that ended Pittsburgh’s 2011 campaign.
“We acknowledge that they’re different of course, not only with (quarterback) Peyton (Manning) but defensively with (Defensive Coordinator Jack) Coach Del Rio, who is very good at what he does,” Tomlin said. “We better remain focused on the challenges that are in front of us this weekend as opposed to looking back at something that happened months ago.”
Specifically regarding Manning, Tomlin said he and the Steelers are familiar with the four-time NFL MVP after seeing him “in some significant games over the years in Pittsburgh.”
Steelers linebacker James Harrison doesn’t believe that rust will be a factor in Manning’s play.
“Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning,” he said. “He’s doing the same thing now. I see no difference.”
Tomlin also addressed the challenge of facing running back Willis McGahee, who the Steelers have seen plenty of in the recent past. The 10th-year pro and interim team captain spent four years in the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens, before joining Denver in 2011.
“McGahee is a stud of a runner,” Tomlin said. “That’s a guy that we’re familiar with and we understand what it means when you have to step in the stadium and play a guy like him. We respect him.”
But even with a proven rushing attack led by a 1,000-yard rusher from 2011, the emphasis for the Steelers defense as they prepare for the Sunday night remains on the quarterback.
“I’m just focusing on what we need to do to get prepared for Peyton,” Tomlin said.
Tags: James Harrison, Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 1
Here is my Official Predictions
Season – 10-6
Steelers week 1 – Broncos win 31 – 17
It will be hilarious how the NY media will change their tune if the Jets beat the Bills. They have a very good defense, but it goes back to those 3 and outs… It’s going to be interesting to see how their season goes.
I did see that quote, Miller had one too. I was pretty surprised when I saw that!
Here are my Official Predictions
Season – 13 – 3
Steelers week 1 – Broncos win 27 – 17
Gabe, 13-3 high hopes, I like it!!!!!
Go Broncos, 2012 is ours!!!
Season 12-4
Broncos 27 Steelers 20
Individual Predictions: Manning 19-28, 260 yards 2 TD 1 INT; Decker 6 catches 75 yards TD; Thomas 4 catches 75 yards; Dreessen 4 catches 30 yards TD; McGahee 16 carries 60 yards TD; Moreno 7 carries 25 yards; Hillman 2 catches 22 yards & 4 carries 20 yards; Miller 6 Tackles 2 Sacks; Dumervil 3 tackles 1 Sack; Wolfe 5 Tackles 1 Sack
We`re getting closer. I can hardly wait.
Hey OT, what page were you and Miller on? I didn’t see it and can’t find it, but there’s nearly 700 pages to sort through.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000059005/article/ben-roethlisberger-would-skip-game-for-sons-birth?module=HP11_headline_stack
Like!!!
Hey Tide, it is actually in the 2012 yearbook. Not the media guide!
A nice little gift pack indeed. My son especially likes the lanyard and magnet.
“I haven’t been held this much since I was a baby,” linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka told Steve Politi of The Star-Ledger.
Haha!!! LOL
http://www.nfl.com/videos/baltimore-ravens/0ap2000000058993/Ray-Lewis-gets-emotional-about-Art-Modell?continuous=true
The past says TT can win games – The past says Sanchez cannot.
What were your thoughts about the replacement refs in the NY / Dallas game?
AB, I saw those jerseys awhile ao. I doubt we go back to the Denver D. I like it and all, but I’m kind of attached to the logo we won our SB with.
DB, I think the refs did great! They blew a few calls, but regular refs do too. I think they worked really hard to get it right. I was impressed.
I didn’t think the refs were an issue at all. But that seemed to be a fairly easy game to call.
I’m sure a lot of players will get held/get away with holding… Happens all the time.
Haha. Daddy why on earth would you like that???? That’s commendable of him!
The only thing that concerned me was how out of balance the penalties were. Dallas didn’t look to be that more undisciplined than NY – but Dallas sure got slapped down a lot.
Romo really was impressive. Now he is set up for his ‘off’ week. The guy is a yoyo in performance!!! “Neckbeard, stay on the bench!!!” LOL
I didn’t state that well:
It is defensible to say that offensive holding happened on every play no matter who was on offense. It seemed to me that Dallas picked up an inordinate amount of the offensive holding penalties.
Overall – I agree with you Cat – it wasn’t near as bad as most of the pre-season games.
I have a major international banquet for our organization tonight at the Beverly Hills Hilton. I will get to meet ‘old guy’ Pat Boone, as well as other major ‘money’ guys.
Urghhh!! I hate this stuff – I am just a regular guy.
Take care!!! Sunday can’t arrive soon enough!!!
AB… Those jerseys were awesome!, but the helmets were amazing! I hope we at least get to make them our alternates or something. PLEASE Denver Broncos, incorporate those uniforms into the organization!
I also thought the first Panthers ones they showed and the all black Bucs one they showed were really cool too!
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?!
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0)
“Peyton Manning needs one touchdown for 400 for his career, and 22 to surpass Dan Marino for second on the all-time list. I like his chances. Well, maybe not 22 on Sunday night. Loved the note on NBC Wednesday night from Tony Dungy about waiting 25 minutes to interview Manning Monday in Denver — because he was in a meeting with his skill players going over the signals for the game”.
Peter King
Sports Illustrated
The Steelers are going to have a hard time running against us. They can talk all they want.
Hey Royal!! Hows it going bro?
Peter King
Sports Illustrated
Broncos -27
Steelers – 20
Forgot to include his score
How’s it going strand?
Can’t wait to see the Broncos run defense this year strand!!
Me too. Its a new are for our D. I think we`ll be a top 10 Defense this year.
Eric Decker posted a new blog guys
So pumped for sunday!!! Guys i think we lookin pretty good!!! Just sayinn
DEN-24
PITT-13