Steelers WR Mike Williams Does Not Start vs. Ravens
PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday during his weekly press conference that it was reasonable to expect the workload for newly acquired wide receiver Mike Williams to increase this week. It appears the Steelers are still trying to acclimate Williams, as Van Jefferson got first-team reps over him on Pittsburgh’s opening drive against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Williams did receive reps later in the drive, however.
“I think that’ll be continual, and I think it’s reasonable to expect his workload to increase. The rate in which it increases, and all of those things, are determined by factors I don’t really know the answer to,” Tomlin said of Williams’ workload on Tuesday. “I’m still getting to know him and how he learns and specifically the detailed component of his skill set in terms of how to best utilize it and position him to help us. And so we’ll be evolving in that way. He’ll be evolving in that way not only this week, but in the upcoming weeks. And I think it’s safe to say the same for a guy like Preston Smith. Less so with a guy like Cam Sutton because we have shared experience with him in the past.”
Williams played only nine snaps against Washington last week, but he caught a Russell Wilson moon ball over his shoulder for a 32-yard game-winning touchdown. It was Williams only catch of the game, but it came at the most important time.
“He’s a veteran guy. He’s a quick study,” Tomlin said after the game. “We didn’t throw everything at him but we threw enough, particularly, the one-dimensional ball in passing circumstances. We didn’t want him over there standing with us at the weightiest of moments.”
Williams said Wilson told him to just run a go route on his game-winning touchdown catch. It was a play that they’ve never practiced with each other before.
“Yeah, Mike [Williams] has been great. He’s smart, he’s on it, he’s a pro. Got a lot of great guys around them. Just love that room, all the hard work they put in every day is really special. So Mike’s a great addition for us.” Wilson said.
Steelers running back Najee Harris gave Williams props for coming up big with limited time to prepare.
“I mean, I never knew how that worked, but for a guy to come onto the team and make one catch for one touchdown. That’s probably the biggest play. I’m surprised how the hell he even knew the play,” Harris said. “But for a guy to come in here, a guy like Mike Williams who has a record of 1,000 yard seasons. His resume, you know, he’s a baller. For him to come in there and make probably the biggest play of the game and help us win. That just shows us what type of player he is. He’s a playmaker. He’s a baller. He’s been doing that for all of his career. Was it surprising? No. But was it good to see? Yeah. Big Play Mike.”
Wilson is happy to have two big-bodied wide receivers to throw to in Mike Williams and George Pickens.
“Yeah, Mike [Williams] has been great. He’s smart, he’s on it, he’s a pro. Got a lot of great guys around them. Just love that room, all the hard work they put in every day is really special. So Mike’s a great addition for us,” Wilson said earlier this week.
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
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