Putting it in the past
LATROBE – For the second consecutive day, rains forced the Steelers to juggle their practice schedule Monday, with the team shifting its session to the morning from the afternoon.
Sammie Coates hopes that’s the only juggling going on this week.
Coates was itching to get back onto the field and begin erasing the memories of what had to be the worst performance of his career at any level during Pittsburgh’s 30-17 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions Friday night.
The final numbers for the second-year wide receiver show he caught three passes for 18 yards.
But that doesn’t even begin to tell the real story of Coates’ game. He bobbled a wide receiver screen pass, eventually catching the ball but being tackled for no gain because of the extra time it took for him to secure the football.
Then, he lost a pair of fumbles, one on a catch, the other on an end around, with the Steelers losing possession on one of those miscues.
And the pass Coates didn’t catch was one in which he appeared to go to the ground too early and couldn’t come up with the football.
For a player hoping to make fans forget about suspended receiver Martavis Bryant, it wasn’t the kind of game he wanted to have.
“I had a terrible preseason start,” Coates admitted. “I have to go back and evaluate what I did wrong. I’ve got to learn from the mistakes.
“Being a great football player, you’ve got to bounce back from your mistakes. I had a couple of mistakes that I never do. I’ve got to bounce back and play my ball.”
Throughout training camp, Coates looked good.
The Steelers were pleased with what the 6-1, 217-pound speedster did. But a bad game, even in the preseason, can be tough to overcome for a young player.
Coates played only six regular-season games last year after the Steelers selected him in the third round. He caught one pass for 11 yards. Coates then played a critical role in the Steelers’ playoff loss at Denver when Antonio Brown was sidelined with a concussion. Coates had two catches for 61 yards against the league’s top defense.
He carried that momentum into the offseason, often being the first guy to show up at the team facility to work out and being one of the last to leave.
“He took the offseason and ran with it,” said offensive coordinator Todd Haley. “He worked his butt off.”
But all that offseason work could be for naught if Coates can’t improve. Though head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t single out Coates, you can bet his ball-control issues were mentioned when the team watched film of the loss.
“I know he knows. Coach says I can’t carry my baggage onto the next game,” Coates said. “That’s one thing I can’t do. I never fumbled in my career. This was the first time.”
It was suggested it was as good a time as any to get it out of the way.
“It ain’t never a good time,” Coates replied.
He gets his shot at redemption Thursday when the Steelers host the Philadelphia Eagles at Heinz Field.
Coates can’t wait for the chance to put the bad game into the past.
“Great players find a way to bounce back,” he said. “I can’t go back and change anything about the game. The only thing I can do is never do it again.”
Tomlin said quarterback Bruce Gradkowski has a significant injury to his hamstring that could sideline the veteran for several weeks. … Cornerback Artie Burns, wide receiver Markus Wheaton and linebacker Travis Feeney returned to practice Monday after being out for at least a week. … In addition to Gradkowski, outside linebackers Bud Dupree, Jarvis Jones and Anthony Chickillo missed practice. … With three outside linebackers sidelined, the Steelers signed Jermauria Rasco and released long-snapper Matt Dooley. … The Steelers hold their final training camp practice at Saint Vincent College at 2:55 p.m. today. It is open to the public.