First Call: Ravens star heard Ben Roethlisberger give plays to receivers; JuJu Smith-Schuster against 17-game schedule
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Wednesday’s “First Call” informs us that the Pittsburgh Steelers were giving away their plays at the line of scrimmage last year.
And, no. Before you ask, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots video crew were not involved.
Also, James Conner is taking advantage of a new league rule in Arizona. JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t a fan of the 17-game schedule. And one of the Pirates’ minor league teams almost had a history-making night.
Say it again, Ben!
The 2020 Steelers lost to Washington 23-17 for their first defeat of the season after an 11-0 start. After their upset, some of the Washington defensive players were quoted as saying the Baltimore Ravens “exposed some things” in a near victory the week before.
Maybe this was the tip the Washington defense had: “Listen to what Ben Roethlisberger is saying at the line of scrimmage. He’ll tell you the exact play.”
Based on what Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey told Bleacher Report recently, that’s what was happening.
Humphrey claims Roethlisberger was telling his receivers what routes to run, and they were running them. And with limited fans in the stands, Humphrey and his fellow Ravens defenders had no problem hearing what was being said across the line of scrimmage because of a lack of fans.
“Is he…telling them the play?” ?
Ravens CB @marlon_humphrey describes being able to hear Big Ben tell Steelers WRs what routes to run
(via @AdamLefkoe) pic.twitter.com/dU8F9Uf0nm
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) May 11, 2021
“I heard Big Ben say something to the wide receivers,” Humphrey told Adam Lefkoe. “And I’m listening. ‘Is he telling me the play? Did he just tell him the route he’s about to run?’
“And he does it again the next play. I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know if they were in hurry-up, and that’s how they (have) always done it or what. But he was just verbally telling them … That happened a few times in the game. He didn’t throw it to me when he told them, but I couldn’t believe that’s what happened.”
Humphrey said another former Steeler had a “tell” of sorts. Humphrey said he could always determine when wide receiver Antonio Brown had a play call designed for him because he would immediately loosen and refasten the Velcro on his gloves at the line of scrimmage before the ball was snapped.
Switching things up
New team. New number.
Former Steelers running back James Conner is taking advantage of the NFL’s new uniform rule. It allows other players besides kickers, punters and quarterbacks to wear single-digit numbers.
After wearing No. 30 during his Steelers career, Conner wants to wear No. 6 with the Arizona Cardinals. I’m unclear what the significance is there. He wore No. 24 at Pitt.
Fellow Cards running back Chase Edmonds is also ditching No. 29 to wear No. 2.
JuJu says ‘no, no’ to 17 games
Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn’t like the new 17-game NFL schedule.
“I’m not really a fan of it,” Smith-Schuster told Adam Schefter on his ESPN podcast. “I’m young. I’m 24 years old. But still, adding another game, it puts a toll on your body…I want to play for 10-12 years. But instead now I’m playing for eight years because there is an extra game on the line.”
I’m not sure JuJu’s math works out exactly there.
I don’t think adding one game per year means your body is going to automatically give out two to four years faster at the tail end of your career.
If that was the case, wouldn’t the players on bad teams who never make the playoffs, such as the Jets, Lions and Bengals, have longer careers than those who play for teams that usually make the playoffs such as the Patriots, Steelers and Ravens?
Smith-Schuster continues with another concern.
“And it comes down to the point where — in order for us to make the playoffs — we are going to have to play our starters throughout the whole season. It’s gonna be tough.”
Again, not really, JuJu. What influences the extent to which you may have to battle for a playoff spot — or seeding within the playoffs — is adding the seventh playoff team per conference. Not so much a 17th game. I mean, a team scratching for the seventh seed is just as likely to have to play its starters in Game 17 as it is in Game 16 depending on what the eighth team does the week before.
Similarly, for as often as the top team in each bracket had the No. 1 seed sewn up in Week 15 of 17 in the past, they’ll be just as apt to have it sewn up in Week 16 of 18 now.
None of that logic makes sense or is of concern. The concern comes into play in the sense that more regular-season games mean more important games per team. Thus, more chances for injuries to star players before the playoffs. Or more late-season injuries before training camp opens the next season. And it’s just one extra week before the season ends for non-playoff teams to go home.
If Smith-Schuster is upset, at least he should know what he is upset about.
Not bad, but no luck
The Altoona Curve had a team no-hitter going for a while Tuesday. But it didn’t last beyond the start of the seventh inning for the Pirates Double-A team.
Roansy Contreras pitched six innings without allowing a hit against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. He yielded just two walks while racking up 11 strikeouts. But Binghamton’s Sebastian Elizalde led off the seventh inning with a single against Jeffrey Passantino to end the fun.
That was the only hit Binghamton would get. And the Curve got enough offensive support along the way, including a home run from Oneil Cruz.
Oneil Cruz cranks his first homer of the season for @AltoonaCurve.
Follow top @Pirates prospects: https://t.co/PMdVSwfvfM pic.twitter.com/NYCaIYjjD5
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 12, 2021
Altoona went on to win 5-0.