The Sun Setting For Hines Ward?

The Sun Setting For Hines Ward?
November 14th, 2011 Matt Loede Posted in News, Opinions


Mark it down – at some point before the end of the season, Hines Ward will make a game-changing play.

Right now, Ward is more of an afterthought in the Steelers high powered offense, as Sunday he had one grab for 10 yards, and this season in the first 10 games, Ward has 27 grabs for 268 yards and two scores.

His biggest game to date was the October 7th blowout win over the Titans, where he had 7 grabs for 54 yards and two scores. Over his last five games, he’s missed two with injury, and has just 7 grabs for 78 yards in the other three.

Is it over for Ward?

“It may not be any indication of his participation moving forward,” Mike Tomlin said Sunday after the game, “it’s just an indication of his participation today.”


(Read More:) http://www.steelersgab.com/2011/11/14/the-sun-setting-for-hines-ward/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SteelersGab+%28Steelers+Gab%29

Upon Further Review: Steelers
November, 14, 2011
By Jamison Hensley


Revisiting the Pittsburgh Steelers' 24-17 win at the Cincinnati Bengals:

It looks like the Steelers are making the transition away from Hines Ward. On Sunday, it was Jerricho Cotchery -- and not Ward -- who joined Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown in Pittsburgh's three-receiver sets.

This is the right move because the Steelers' younger, faster and more explosive receivers are stepping up. Ward could drop further on the depth chart when Emmanuel Sanders returns from knee surgery.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said Ward's health wasn't a factor in the decrease in snaps. Ward suffered concussion-like symptoms after taking a hit to the head from Ray Lewis the week before.

"I think he was ready to go, but we were just looking at some personnel groups and looking at ways we wanted to attack these people," Tomlin said. "We’ll do that from week to week."

Ward was a non-factor in Cincinnati with one catch for 10 yards. Cotchery had two receptions for 29 yards and one touchdown. He also had another touchdown called back because of Heath Miller's penalty.

Tomlin, though, wouldn't say whether this is permanent.

"It may not be any indication of his participation moving forward," Tomlin said, "it’s just an indication of his participation today.”


(Read More:) http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/35737/upon-further-review-steelers-9

i'm gonna get some heat for this but i'm starting to like Brown more than Wallace i think he's a more complete WR maybe not as fast as Wallace but he knows how to get open and he's made some amazing catches specially on third downs

and Ward if healthy should without a doubt be our third receiver i don't think any of our receiver can block as good as he does

fer69 wrote:

i'm gonna get some heat for this but i'm starting to like Brown more than Wallace i think he's a more complete WR maybe not as fast as Wallace but he knows how to get open and he's made some amazing catches specially on third downs

and Ward if healthy should without a doubt be our third receiver i don't think any of our receiver can block as good as he does

I'll keep 'em all! I'm greedy like that.

if this is it for him (and i think it is) he's gonna be the our best wr of all time

I won't lie, I'm biased towards Ward.

He has set the tone for what a Steelers WR should be like. While I can see that he's definitely not the same WR he was a few years ago, I believe that he deserves to finish out his contract and ride out in to the sunset. Yes, I understand this takes up roster space but there are some players that are deserving of that opportunity. The Steelers have had few players like this. Woodson was one, but they allowed him to walk away (he eventually won a SB with the ratbirds ), and now we have Ward. Give him his due, let him finish out his contract, heck maybe he'll even restructure his contract, and let him ride off in to the sunset a STEELER FOR LIFE!

I hope the Steelers organization allows him to ride off in to the sunset and not just dump him.

fer69 wrote:

i'm gonna get some heat for this but i'm starting to like Brown more than Wallace i think he's a more complete WR maybe not as fast as Wallace but he knows how to get open and he's made some amazing catches specially on third downs

and Ward if healthy should without a doubt be our third receiver i don't think any of our receiver can block as good as he does

I have to agree with you, fer.
I think Brown is a much more complete receiver right now than Wallace is. And just think ... they're both going to get better.

As for Ward, I agree with Truck ... I want him to finish his career in Pittsburgh. But only if he's willing to accept a reduced role. And that role might be acting as a coach on the sidelines.

I don't envy Tomlin for having to make the decision on whether to remove Ward from the starting lineup. Ward is a Steelers legend. This might be the hardest decision Tomlin has had to make as Steelers coach.

I merged this thread with the Upon Further Review: Steelers thread.
We were having the same conversation in both threads.

I smell and OPINION piece coming up

stlrtruck wrote:

I smell and OPINION piece coming up

Looks like Mom isn't the only psychic around here.


Disappearing Ward facing his biggest challenge yet

Tuesday, November 15, 2011
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In many ways, the Steelers game Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals was typical of the series. The Steelers made just enough plays and the Bengals just enough mistakes for the Steelers to win, 24-17. No one could have been surprised by the result, here or in Cincinnati. The Steelers are 10-1 at Paul Brown Stadium.

But in one significant way, the win was unlike any other Steelers game. For the first time, future Hall of Famer Hines Ward wasn't a big part of the offense even though he was healthy. He played sparingly -- in just a few packages -- and had one catch for 10 yards, the only time quarterback Ben Roethlisberger targeted him.

The Steelers coaches clearly believed the team had a better chance of winning with Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Jerricho Cotchery at wide receiver ahead of Ward.

It's not hard to imagine it being that way the rest of the season, barring injuries.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11319/1189938-87-0.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml#ixzz1dn7QnLhe

From what I heard on sports talk radio on my way home today, Ward stated that he will do whatever the team asks and be the best sideline cheerleader ever if that helps the team keep winning. A true team player and a guy who should be allowed to finish his career as a Steeler. If we could waste a roster spot for Tony Hills as long as we did, we certainly can make room for the greatest Steelers WR of all-time. He'll contribute to this team even if he isn't on the field.


EDIT: Here's the story concerning what I heard.


Hines Ward aims to be the “biggest cheerleader”

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 15, 2011, 2:39 PM EST


We noted on Sunday night that Hines Ward was essentially benched against the Bengals.

Some veterans of Ward’s stature would make excuses, blame an injury, or fail to embrace the move. Ward isn’t going that route.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” Ward said via Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We won the game that’s the bottom line.”

Ward admitted that he’s fully healthy and said that coaches didn’t give him a head’s up about his diminished playing time. But he said that’s not for him to worry about.

“It’s different. It’s a different role. I am still going to be the biggest cheerleader because I want to win,” Ward said.

(Read More:) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/15/hines-ward-aims-to-be-the-biggest-cheerleader/

Buddha Bus wrote:

If we could waste a roster spot for Tony Hills as long as we did, we certainly can make room for the greatest Steelers WR of all-time. He'll contribute to this team even if he isn't on the field.

Agreed. As long as he's willing to accept a lesser role, he should retire a Steeler. Period.