JuJu Smith-Schuster, other Steelers receivers must step up

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JuJu Smith-Schuster, other Steelers receivers must step up

Chris Adamski | Thursday, December 21, 2017 11:36 p.m.

Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review

Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster makes a first-down catch during the first quarter against the Patriots on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, at Heinz Field.

For the first time in more than five years, the Steelers are preparing for a regular-season game knowing they won't have the face of the receiving corps.

But even without Antonio Brown, Steelers wide receivers insist they won't go hungry.

“Now that he's not out here, we have guys who just have to take his plate and eat off if it,” rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster said.

Smith-Schuster, Martavis Bryant, Eli Rogers and Darrius Heyward-Bey finished the final three quarters of last week's game against New England following the left calf contusion Brown suffered.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley said Heyward-Bey slid into Brown's “X” receiver spot for the remainder of the loss.

This week, Justin Hunter “gets a hat” and slides into the bottom of the receiver depth chart. Primarily, though, Smith-Schuster, Bryant and Rogers figure to carry the bulk of the workload during Monday's game at the Houston Texans.

“It's not a one-man job,” Haley said of filling in for Brown. “I thought the guys in the (previous) game did a great job of stepping up. As soon as AB went down, I talked to guys on the sideline about each one of them stepping up and making plays and really they did that across the board.

“AB is a tough one because he never misses practice, he never misses games. You don't necessarily think about that scenario a whole bunch.”

While the production lost will be made up for collectively, who actually takes the field on a given play is more of a question mark.

“We're always moving guys around by play call, by formation,” Haley said. “But personnel-wise, those guys will be the same.”

In terms of snaps played, the biggest beneficiary of Brown's absence appears to be Rogers, the slot receiver who lost significant playing time this season to Smith-Schuster. Rogers had his first touchdown of 2017 and was targeted on the ill-fated final pass of the game against New England.

“Ever since I first got into the league, I am always prepared for opportunities,” Rogers said.

“I'm ready, and all the coaches know I'm ready.”