Mike Tomlin says 9-0 Steelers won't underestimate 1-8 Jaguars
The difference in win-loss record is astounding, yet Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is not about to take the Jacksonville Jaguars lightly.
The Steelers will put their 9-0 record on the line Sunday on the road against the Jaguars, whose 1-8 record is second-worst in the NFL.
And with the Baltimore Ravens looming on Thanksgiving night, Tomlin wants to make sure the Steelers aren’t guilty of looking past the task at hand this weekend.
“I’m not into the trap game discussion,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I understand that’s a thing you guys like to talk about. This is the NFL. More than anything, you guys know my attitude regarding that.
“We are not a Big Ten team playing a MAC opponent this week.”
The Jaguars, though, are on an eight-game losing streak since winning the season opener. And the Steelers nearly were beaten by the two-win Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, the previous time they went on the road.
“Every time we step into a stadium, we’re playing professional players and coaches,” Tomlin said. “We have a ridiculous level of respect for that. Write your story, follow your storylines on trap games and things of that nature.
“We understand what we’re going into in Jacksonville. It’s a group that is trying to kick our butt, a professional group, a capable group. We’re preparing with that understanding.”
The Steelers remain in the NFL’s “intensive protocol” because of a positive covid-19 test to tight end Vance McDonald last week. Rookie Kevin Dotson was placed on the reserve/covid-19 list Saturday. All meetings will be conducted remotely for the second week in a row, and players will report to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex only for practice.
Tomlin is hopeful slot cornerback Mike Hilton can return from a shoulder injury that has forced him to miss the past four games. Tomlin expects Hilton to resume practicing this week after he had a setback in practice for the Cincinnati Bengals game Sunday.
Defensive end Chris Wormley, who is on injured reserve, also is improving, Tomlin said.
The other injuries that Tomlin note are to running backs Jaylen Samuels (quad) and Trey Edmunds (hamstring).
Tomlin discussed the matchup and the team’s injury situation when he met with the media Tuesday.
Here is some of what Tomlin had to say:
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Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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