Kendrick Green Brutally Honest About Play: ‘I Have to be Better’

PITTSBURGH — Kendrick Green has not had the start to his second season that he wanted. After a rough first preseason game, Green followed it up with a lackluster performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. With Green being pushed back against both the run and the pass, it was a bad night for the former third-round choice out of Illinois.

However, he is still locked into a position battle with Kevin Dotson. Dotson is now healthier than ever and feeling better after a recent ankle injury scare. Green got the start, though, and did not perform to the level that he wanted. When asked if he had done enough to win the left guard job, Green was blunt and brutally honest.

“No. Absolutely not,” Green said.

He acknowledged that he has to improve in all areas. Green’s hand usage and lack of length have been the big knocks against him throughout his career thus far. At this point for Green, he feels he has no excuse to be playing as poor as he is. That means getting back to the drawing board and back to the basics.

“I need to take leaps and bounds,” Green said. “Really, I need to work on just playing ball. I need to be stronger and play more aggressively. I have to be better.”

Kendrick Green saw that he was beaten more than a few times by standout Jaguars pass rusher Arden Key. Key was credited with four pressures against the Steelers according to Pro Football Focus, with two of those coming against Green. It was a rough day for Green in that area.

“I got beat a few times,” Green said, (Arden Key) beat me a few times. He was kind of having a day with me.”

Green was able to watch the film. The entire offensive line got a stern talking to from Mike Tomlin, but Green himself went to talk with offensive line coach Pat Meyer to try and fix things. It was a one-on-one that was aimed to help Green grow as a player to potentially make the left guard battle even more competitive.

“Coach T had us up on the board, and me specifically, a lot during the team meeting,” Green said. “That doesn’t feel good at all.”

Can Green turn things around? That will be the all-telling tale of Green’s game against the Lions. He has to turn things around to have a chance to win the left-guard battle. Whether the stern steps from Tomlin and Meyer will manifest themselves in the next week remains to be seen. Regardless, if Green’s tenure in Pittsburgh is to turn around, his play must turn itself around from a technique standpoint.