DIESELMAN
12-07-2007, 12:44 PM
Hines Ward took the comment with a smile. The game’s most physical receiver craves that kind of respect.
“I feed off that,” Ward said. “I’m a little screwy up in the brain I guess. I just take a different mentality: I expect to get hit. There are guys that want to knock the smile off my face so bad, but when I catch it, after they hit me, I still get up smiling.”
And Ward’s opinion of the Steelers’ defensive backs?
“They want to see me on another team so they can come out and hit me,” he said with a laugh. “They really want to hit me in practice. We’ve got some hitters on this team: Anthony Smith, Troy (Polamalu), Ike, T.C. Those guys live and die for hitting somebody. I’m glad to have them on my team.”
Smith and safety Tyrone Carter (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=3269487) had the Cincinnati receivers looking over their shoulder last week. Ike Taylor (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=2981470) and McFadden are big-hitting cornerbacks while Deshea Townsend (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=2981471) is a smaller cover corner who just might be the best form tackler of the bunch. Until Smith became the focal point of the game by agreeing to a reporter’s question, Moss remains the focal point in the Steelers’ film room, as he was for the Eagles and Ravens the last two weeks. Carter was asked if the Steelers’ secondary can match the physical example set by the Eagles and Ravens.
“As a secondary? Can WE be more physical than Baltimore? What? Are you talking about Baltimore? Can OUR secondary be more physical than Baltimore’s?” Carter asked as he grew more upset with each word.
“Look man, I think our secondary IS physical and I think we’re more physical than Baltimore on the back end. The Eagles were physical. They’ve got (Brian) Dawkins back there and (J.R.) Reed. They were pretty physical. They laid some hits on Moss in that game as well. But our guys, we’re always physical, man. Since Day One we’ve been physical.”
Carter confirmed what Smith made so obvious on Wednesday: The Steelers’ secondary can’t wait for Sunday’s game.
“No doubt. I know I can’t,” Carter said. “Guys are ready. We like the challenge and we know every week it’s got to be up to us. We always know that. We go into every game thinking that. Shea always emphasizes that it always starts with us. What more can you ask for?”
We all knew Hines would like his comment, and its good to hear our secondary is amped up for this game. Prediction or not, we're gunning for ya Moss and Co. :helmet:
“I feed off that,” Ward said. “I’m a little screwy up in the brain I guess. I just take a different mentality: I expect to get hit. There are guys that want to knock the smile off my face so bad, but when I catch it, after they hit me, I still get up smiling.”
And Ward’s opinion of the Steelers’ defensive backs?
“They want to see me on another team so they can come out and hit me,” he said with a laugh. “They really want to hit me in practice. We’ve got some hitters on this team: Anthony Smith, Troy (Polamalu), Ike, T.C. Those guys live and die for hitting somebody. I’m glad to have them on my team.”
Smith and safety Tyrone Carter (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=3269487) had the Cincinnati receivers looking over their shoulder last week. Ike Taylor (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=2981470) and McFadden are big-hitting cornerbacks while Deshea Townsend (http://pit.scout.com/a.z?s=68&p=8&c=1&nid=2981471) is a smaller cover corner who just might be the best form tackler of the bunch. Until Smith became the focal point of the game by agreeing to a reporter’s question, Moss remains the focal point in the Steelers’ film room, as he was for the Eagles and Ravens the last two weeks. Carter was asked if the Steelers’ secondary can match the physical example set by the Eagles and Ravens.
“As a secondary? Can WE be more physical than Baltimore? What? Are you talking about Baltimore? Can OUR secondary be more physical than Baltimore’s?” Carter asked as he grew more upset with each word.
“Look man, I think our secondary IS physical and I think we’re more physical than Baltimore on the back end. The Eagles were physical. They’ve got (Brian) Dawkins back there and (J.R.) Reed. They were pretty physical. They laid some hits on Moss in that game as well. But our guys, we’re always physical, man. Since Day One we’ve been physical.”
Carter confirmed what Smith made so obvious on Wednesday: The Steelers’ secondary can’t wait for Sunday’s game.
“No doubt. I know I can’t,” Carter said. “Guys are ready. We like the challenge and we know every week it’s got to be up to us. We always know that. We go into every game thinking that. Shea always emphasizes that it always starts with us. What more can you ask for?”
We all knew Hines would like his comment, and its good to hear our secondary is amped up for this game. Prediction or not, we're gunning for ya Moss and Co. :helmet: