Steelers News: Vince Williams, of all people, picking up the slack for Stephon Tuitt

The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving into Week 9 of the NFL regular season, and as the team prepares for the Indianapolis Colts this week we continue to provide you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over until the next game starts!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how Vince Williams, of all people, is picking up the slack for injured defensive end Stephon Tuitt.

Let’s get to the news:

• The Steelers would have to be creative to replace Stephon Tuitt, and they are doing just that to try and keep the defense from dropping off. The latest man to take over some of those duties? Vince Williams.

Vince Williams helps pick up slack in Steelers first game minus Stephon Tuitt

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The first of 10 games the Pittsburgh Steelers will play without Stephon Tuitt featured an outside-the-box way of filling his spot in defensive subpackages.

Linebacker Vince Williams was used as a de facto defensive lineman in some pass-rushing situations in the Steelers’ 27-14 victory against the Miami Dolphins. Cameron Heyward was the only true defensive lineman on the field in that formation.

Williams had four tackles and two quarterback hits while playing 34 of 60 snaps. Rookie Devin Bush played every snap at inside linebacker, and Mark Barron was on the field for 40 defensive plays.

“That’s probably indicative of how we move forward,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “When you talk about replacing a guy like Stephon, it’s not only a multi-person job, it’s also probably a multi-positional job. I thought we did a good job of establishing a baseline of what that looks like moving forward.”

When healthy, Williams is a capable pass rusher. He is two years removed from recording a career-high eight sacks.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Did the Steelers’ offense find their identity vs. the Dolphins in the running game?

Kevin Gorman: These Steelers will let their blocking do the talking in the running game

By: Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

That neither Zach Banner nor Roosevelt Nix talk much with the media has as much to do with their own personal reasons as it does the positions they play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A fullback who stars as a special-teams captain, Nix prefers to keep it low-key by doing the dirty work of blocking, tackling and making the occasional catch in short-yardage situations.

A swing tackle once projected as a first-round draft pick but now on his third NFL team, Banner wants to earn a spot in the starting lineup before he begins to bask in the limelight.

The blocking of the offensive line, with the support of Banner and Nix, got the running game going as the Steelers rolled to a season-high 158 rushing yards in their 27-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football” at Heinz Field.

Having Nix lined up as the lead blocker or Banner as an extra blocker was a sign the Steelers were serious about running the football, maybe the most important development for an offense struggling to find its identity.

“I thought we established a run game in ways offensively that we hadn’t done to this point in the season, so that was encouraging,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “I thought the inclusion of Rosie Nix and his availability probably was a significant component in that, not only in terms of the tangible things that he brings but just the general attitude and presence of a guy like that, a combat guy like that and what he does for a huddle and a unit, I thought, was significant.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Benny Snell Jr. had charges which were filed against him in the state of Ohio dropped, but he isn’t out of the proverbial woods yet.

Ohio drug charge against Steelers’ Benny Snell withdrawn

By: Tom Davidson, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

A drug charge filed in an Ohio court against Pittsburgh Steelers running back Benny Snell was withdrawn, but the rookie could still face consequences under the NFL’s code of conduct.

Snell, who the Steelers selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft, admitted to smoking marijuana about 20 minutes before he was pulled over for speeding Aug. 30 on Route 250 in Harrison County, Ohio, according to a report released by the county’s sheriff’s office.

Snell, 21, of Westerville, Ohio, initially faced a drug charge after Deputy Nathan Stuckey found 2.74 grams of marijuana in a plastic baggie with a Star Wars logo on it that was in a bag on the passenger seat of the car, according to Stuckey’s report.

The drug charge was withdrawn, as is common practice in Ohio in cases involving small amounts of marijuana, according to Jack Felgenhauer, assistant prosecuting attorney for Harrison County.

“We are aware of the situation regarding Benny Snell, and we alerted the NFL Office when we learned of the incident,” Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said in a statement.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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