Head to Head: Steelers LT Jonathan Scott vs. Colts DE Dwight Freeney

[SCMom]

Head to Head: Steelers LT Jonathan Scott vs. Colts DE Dwight Freeney
A closer look at the game within the game
Sunday, September 25, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


NFL Photos
Steelers LT Jonathan Scott vs. Colts DE Dwight Freeney

Listen to left tackle Jonathan Scott and see if he sounds like a man keenly aware of what he is up against tonight in Lucas Oil Stadium --trying to stop Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney.

"It can pose a problem," Scott said. "If you focus on just his spin move, you got to worry about his bull-rush. If you just worry about his bull-rush, you got to worry about his pressure. If you worry about his pressure, you got to worry about him collapsing the outside."

Now listen to Trai Essex, who faced the same task as Scott six years ago, back when the Colts played in the much-louder RCA Dome and he had to replace injured starter Marvel Smith after one series. Essex was a rookie, and the Steelers didn't have a silent count for their offensive linemen.

"He's a little faster on turf, especially that short turf they had back then," Essex said. "It's impossible to hear the cadence, especially going against fast defensive ends like he is, who key off the snap like he does at their place. Nah, that's impossible. He's a beast to deal with."

It was after that regular-season game in 2005 that the Steelers developed a silent count to deal with such crowd noise. Scott, a starter at left tackle since Week 12 last season, will rely on that and more when he faces Freeney, a six-time Pro Bowler who has more sacks (95), more forced fumbles (42) than any active player since '02.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11268...#ixzz1YyGRWxQH

[solardave]

No doubt he has his work cut out for him. Freeney is getting older but still has skills.

[steelfury02]

ruh roh Raggy

I fully expect a desperate Colts team who will give us a good game

I hope we have the mental toughness to pull out a very much needed conference/road win against a team with nothing to lose

If we somehow lose this game it is going to be a long year IMHO . . .

[tanda10506]

This could be game 1 bad. As mentioned, Freeney is aging but he's still really good and Scott is still really bad.

[55BaileyFan]

Colts are only rushing 50% of the time, if the Steelers keep a solid run game going, the ends are going to defend the run and not the deep ball. You can take fast ends out of a game by rushing up the middle...ALOT.

[MACH1]

Schools in session.

[Dodens Grav]

Both Freeney and Mathis are nursing injuries, so hopefully that actually shows up in the game. It'd certainly help out the tackles.