zulater
12-19-2011, 02:00 PM
After he had made a game-breaking play against the Bengals, the Steelers' Antonio Brown was talking to a swarm of reporters until quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked to speak to the wide receiver off to the side.
Brown came back to his locker with a big grin on his face. So, what did Roethlisberger whisper to him?
"I can't reveal our secrets," Brown said coyly.
Well, there's one secret that can't be kept any longer: Brown is the top playmaker on the Steelers.
He first bypassed Hines Ward on the depth chart. He then climbed past Mike Wallace as the go-to target. Not bad for a sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan.
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1216/nfl_u_AntonioBrown_cmg_300.jpg
In a matter of a months, Brown went from the Steelers' promising No. 3 wide receiver to the popular No. 1 target when Pittsburgh needs to finish off a team.
It happened two weeks ago against Cincinnati when Brown returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown to answer a Bengals touchdown and essentially put the game away before halftime. It happened again last week against Cleveland when Brown took a short pass and turned it into a 79-yard touchdown to close out the game with 2:52 remaining.
The Steelers might need to rely on Brown even more Monday night at San Francisco if Roethlisberger can't play on his injured ankle.
"He is improving in all areas -- in route-running, coverage recognition, being quarterback-friendly and just an overall understanding of the game and how he fits in the big picture," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Brown. "That's what we expect of all second-year men, to grow by leaps and bounds in all areas, and he has done that to this point."
Brown, the 195th player taken in the 2010 draft, has improved "by leaps and bounds" in this season alone.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Brown averaged 43.7 yards receiving with no touchdowns and no 100-yard performances in his first nine games this season. In the past four games, however, he has averaged 94.7 yards receiving with two touchdowns and had three 100-yard games.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/38212/antonio-brown-is-no-longer-a-steelers-secret
Brown came back to his locker with a big grin on his face. So, what did Roethlisberger whisper to him?
"I can't reveal our secrets," Brown said coyly.
Well, there's one secret that can't be kept any longer: Brown is the top playmaker on the Steelers.
He first bypassed Hines Ward on the depth chart. He then climbed past Mike Wallace as the go-to target. Not bad for a sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan.
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1216/nfl_u_AntonioBrown_cmg_300.jpg
In a matter of a months, Brown went from the Steelers' promising No. 3 wide receiver to the popular No. 1 target when Pittsburgh needs to finish off a team.
It happened two weeks ago against Cincinnati when Brown returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown to answer a Bengals touchdown and essentially put the game away before halftime. It happened again last week against Cleveland when Brown took a short pass and turned it into a 79-yard touchdown to close out the game with 2:52 remaining.
The Steelers might need to rely on Brown even more Monday night at San Francisco if Roethlisberger can't play on his injured ankle.
"He is improving in all areas -- in route-running, coverage recognition, being quarterback-friendly and just an overall understanding of the game and how he fits in the big picture," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Brown. "That's what we expect of all second-year men, to grow by leaps and bounds in all areas, and he has done that to this point."
Brown, the 195th player taken in the 2010 draft, has improved "by leaps and bounds" in this season alone.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Brown averaged 43.7 yards receiving with no touchdowns and no 100-yard performances in his first nine games this season. In the past four games, however, he has averaged 94.7 yards receiving with two touchdowns and had three 100-yard games.
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/38212/antonio-brown-is-no-longer-a-steelers-secret