PITTSBURGH (AP) -At the same time other NFL teams are dealing with the strain of injuries that build up over a 16-game season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are healthier than they have been since September.
The scare they got when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger slipped in the mud and sat out the final 20 minutes of practice Wednesday? Not a worry – he took part in a full practice Thursday.
“Ben is fine,” coach Mike Tomlin said.
Also practicing were cornerback Bryant McFadden, who has missed six games with a broken forearm, and running back Willie Parker, whose sore knee has been an ongoing worry since early in the season.
The Steelers (9-3) are getting well at the same time the importance of every game becomes magnified. Tomlin hopes that doesn’t give his players a false sense of confidence Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys (8-4), who may need to win three of their final four to make the playoffs.
e), are injured but are expected to play. Ware has been testing a knee brace during practice.
Fretting about who is in the lineup and who is out accomplishes nothing, Tomlin said, one reason that he tells his backups they are expected to play at a starter’s level.
“We don’t worry about health, we really don’t,” Tomlin said Thursday. “You can waste a lot of time focusing on people you don’t have. We tend to focus on people we do have and their preparation and play. It just so happens we have a lot of guys that are capable of preparing to play for us this week. That’s how we are approaching it.”
Troy Polamalu (calf) missed practice for the second day in a row, but Tomlin gives his most experienced players extra time off as the season winds down.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, who follows the same policy, sent some players home from practice Wednesday with the intent of cutting down on late-season wear and tear.
With McFadden ready to play, Tomlin must decide whether to start him or second-year cornerback William Gay.
McFadden is more experienced and was playing well before getting hurt, but it might be a challenge to oppose a quarterback as skilled as Dallas’ Tony Romo after so much time off.
ys have shown they are capable of playing. That’s a good problem to have.”
For McFadden, the focus is shifting from getting healthy to getting ready to oppose Romo, who has thrown for 300 or more yards in six of nine starts. The Steelers’ defense hasn’t given up 300 yards to any opponent.
While Ike Taylor will be matched against Cowboys star wide receiver Terrell Owens, a week after he went against Randy Moss of New England, the other Steelers cornerback will also have a difficult assignment.
Tight end Jason Witten has 58 catches with three touchdowns, while Owens has 52 receptions for a 15.7 average and eight scores. Barber has 47 receptions and the newly acquired Roy Williams has 11.
“Those three guys (Witten, Owens and Williams) are as respectable a three as you’ll see on one team in the league,” McFadden said. “That’s a lot of talent.”
Even the backups are productive: Patrick Crayton (31 catches, 3 TDs), tight end Martellus Bennett (15 catches, 4 TDs) and Miles Austin (12 catches, 3 TDs) have 10 touchdowns among them.
“The rookie, Bennett, as we turned the tape on here, this guy has been in the end zone just about every week,” Tomlin said. “That’s the other tight end.”
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