Aaron Smith has been sitting on the sidelines for sometime. He hasn’t played a down since the teams October win over the Dolphins in Miami, but even with an injury that land just about everyone on injured reserve, the team decided to keep Smith on the active roster.
Just in case.
That “just in case” may finally come pay off Sunday, as the Steelers get ready for the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game at Heinz Field.
One of the leaders of the defense continues to make his way back from a torn triceps, and there was a lot of talk today about him finding his way on the field for a couple plays in the game that could send the Steelers to their second Super Bowl in three years.
“I’m just hoping and praying that he gets a chance to get out there and play with us,” LB James Farrior said.
There was some chatter that Smith may have been able to play a few downs last week against the Ravens, but eventually he was ruled as “out” for the grudge match. Coach Mike Tomlin said today that he and the team would go through the same process to see if Smith could take the field.
“He’s just got to perform above the line,” Tomlin said. “He’s got to be consistent with that approach, whether it’s Aaron Smith or anyone. He’ll be given an opportunity to participate in preparation, and if his preparation is above the line, we’ll get into a discussion about the number of potential snaps.”
The team has done well even without Smith, as they have set a record for rushing yards allowed this year, and also they are allowing teams to give up just over 14 points per game. Maybe that’s why the team isn’t in quite the rush to get Smith out there. As they say ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’
Even with that though, the club seems excited about the prospect of having #91 back in the fold in some regard. “He’s a guy that’s been around here a long time, and we feed off his energy,” Farrior said. “To have him out there, even if it’s for a few plays, it definitely will give our defense a boost.”
Smith himself has stated how exciting it would be to join his teammates on the field, and Tomlin knows that if he can make it, there’s no doubt that having Smith out there could pay off.
“We’re excited that there’s potential that he could play, I am sure he is,” Tomlin said.
1 Comment
Leave a Reply
Show Your Team Spirit
Get Your Steelers Tickets
Steelers Gab Newsletter
Sign up to receive our Steelers Gab newsletter, and keep up to date with all the latest Pittsburgh Steelers news.
DrGeorge
January 19, 2011 at 7:10 pm
We all love A. Smith. He’s a Pgh. kind of lunch pail player: always ready, always effective, and always doing what’s best for the team. So why should we rush him back into the fray if he isn’t 100%? Tomlin is doing the right thing here. Aaron may have another year or two left. Why jeopardize that possibility? And beyond football, why risk permanent or serious injury unnecessarily to a guy who has done so much for the team? In his condition, how could he possibly be as effective as the guys who have been playing for months while he rehabbed? I’d rather play Hood at 100% than Smith at 85%. It’s better for Smith, and it’s better for the Steelers.