Landry Jones tells teammates ‘Don’t Panic’
PITTSBURGH – Landry Jones is typically a man of few words.
That’s why his message to his teammates at their morning meeting Wednesday as the Steelers prepare to play the New England Patriots Sunday at Heinz Field struck home.
The message?
“‘Don’t panic,'” said Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats. “As smooth as Landry can say it.”
That could be easier said than done against the 5-1 Patriots.
But it definitely helped loosen up the Steelers (4-2), if that was an issue.
“Anytime THE Landry Jones graces us with his verbal leadership, we always appreciate it,” Moats said. “In all seriousness, we’re extremely confident. We’re not concerned with who you put out there, the next-man-up motto. Any position, as you’ve seen this year, those guys come in and have success. Same thing with Landry, we’re anticipating him coming in and having a great game.”
Sunday will mark the 20th time the Steelers have lined up without Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback since he became the starter in Week 3 of the 2004 season. Their record in those games is 11-9, including 7-7 under head coach Mike Tomlin.
Roethlisberger is out after having surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee early Monday morning. He injured the knee in the second quarter of last Sunday’s 30-15 loss at Miami but returned to play the entire second half.
Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette that his injury could lead him to be out 4-6 weeks, though the initial prognosis for such a prodcedure is 2-3 weeks.
The Steelers are 1-1 in Jones’ two starts, both of which came last season, and went 2-2 last season in four games in which Roethlisberger did not start.
But the Patriots and Brady offer a different challenge than most teams. In Tom Brady, New England has the most experienced, if not the best, quarterback in the league.
“I grew up watching the dude, so it’s just another exciting opportunity to go out there and play against one of the guys I grew up watching,” Jones said.