Steelers striking right balance during playoff push

CBS Local Sports: Has Le’Veon Bell cemented himself in place as the featured back for the Steelers?

Cockrell has been too busy preparing for a game that is crucial to the Steelers playoff positioning to get sentimental, but he did allow that his life changed in a flash after the Bills surprisingly waived him in August 31, 2015.

A few teams must approach their final four games as playoff games if they hope to continue their seasons into January.

Wide Receivers: Antonio Brown might be friendly with Odell Beckham Jr., but that didn’t mean he was going to take his foot off the gas one bit. The matchup didn’t disappoint as both players made impactful plays for their team. If they can manage to take care of the Steelers and Ravens, they should be able to get wins against the Browns and Texans.

STEELERS Defence – OVERALL (14), RUSH (6), PASS (19).

Quarterback: What is there to say about Ben Roethlisberger that hasn’t been said already? With 3,034 yards passing, QB Ben Roethlisberger has topped 3,000-yard plateau for 11th consecutive season. The Bills came close to pulling off an upset against the Oakland Raiders in week 13, so the Steelers will need to prepare for a tough road game against a risky Bills team.

Game plan: The Bills will try to negate C Maurkice Pouncey and G David DeCastro with their interior linemen to disrupt RB Le’Veon Bell and keep him from getting started.

So this is an opportunity for Manning and the 8-3 Giants, who have feasted on bad competition during their six-game winning streak, to prove that they’re a real contender after four straight postseason no-shows.

The biggest problem for the Steelers, who have struggled with special teams, will be returner Brandon Tate, who is fifth in the league in punt returns (11.6 yards) and eighth in kick returns (23.7 yards). LB James Harrison has franchise-leading 79 1/2 sacks and at least one in each of past three games. We have to execute well, play smart and make the plays that are there.”. Brandon LaFell stepped up with AJ Green hurt, with five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. However, the defense has been playing incredible lately. “I think he might have played in one preseason game and I get the brilliant idea of, ‘Hey, maybe we should stash him on the practice squad.’ I thought nobody had tape on him and all that. He’s put the ball where nobody can be around it except for me”, Green said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The young guys are growing up. They gave me my first opportunity in the National Football League, I’m forever grateful for that. “They are down to ride with me whenever”. And that’s what we need. In retrospect, being released was probably the best thing that could have happened to his career.

Ryan defended Taylor’s play, noting injuries to receivers Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Percy Harvin and tight end Charles Clay, among others. We just want to get the job done. “But I’m glad he did”. “I understand the game can slip from you quickly, so take advantage of it and don’t let a game go by”.

The Bills (6-6) are further out on the fringe of the playoff picture, unable to catch New England in the AFC East and seventh in the Wild Card race when tiebreakers are factored in.