Casey Hampton is back and ready to roll. (US Presswire)
NT Casey Hampton is 35, coming off major knee surgery, his backup has proven himself as a viable NFL starter and the Steelers have drafted his presumed successor. That may seem as if Hampton is gradually being phased out by the Steelers.
And yet there Hampton was Sunday against the New York Jets, on the field as much as he has been as at any point in recent seasons.
Hampton remained part of the Pittsburgh defense, at times, when the Steelers went to a five-DB package. That's rarely happened in recent seasons, if at all.
"A lot of teams try to put us in the nickel defense ,and try to run the ball on us," Hampton said. "So it's just our way of combatting that and doing something different."
At three-hundreed-and-a-lot pounds, Hampton, of course, is a stout run-stopper. But the evolution of the NFL game during the 12 years he's been in the league has shifted to more passing and less running.
That would seem to be making Hampton's kind a dying breed. But three- and four-receiver sets are becoming such the norm that many run games are built out of such sets. Hence, the Steelers adjusting by keeping their big guys on the field.
"Every team tries to do different things, so we've got to prepare ourselves and do what we need to do to try to stop teams from dictating what we do," Hampton said.
Long a 3-4 team, the Steelers use four down linemen and two linebackers in their so-called "big nickel" package.
"We tend to lean on it from time to time because it provides versatility for us," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. "It allows us to match, from a personnel standpoint, in the secondary with skill but also maintain our big body presence in the run game.
Hampton rotates snaps with NT Steve McLendon. The team drafted NT Alameda Ta'amu in the fourth round in April.
Sylvester practicing: LB Stevenson Sylvester continued his comeback from a knee injury, returning to the practice field Wednesday. Sylvester has been running and said "been feeling really good." But this week he will go on a "test run" of doing more cutting and linebacker-type movements.
No matter how well it goes, Sylvester is not expected to play Sunday at Oakland. With the Steelers idle next week, that would allow for almost three weeks before the next game, Oct. 7 against Philadelphia.
"I'm missing some good valuable playing time right now, and it's been killing me sitting here watching, so I feel like I'm on punishment a little bit," Sylvester said. "It's an injury, it's a part of the game, coach Tomlin, and (linebackers coach Keith Butler) have been in my ear telling me to keep my head up, get healthy and get back in here as soon as possible."
Injury report includes big names: The Steelers could almost field a competitive team using players who did not practice Wednesday: S Troy Polamalu (calf), WR Mike Wallace (groin), RB Jonathan Dwyer (toe), OT Marcus Gilbert (groin), WR Emmanuel Sanders (knee), LB James Harrison (knee) and TE Heath Miller (abdomen). Four of those players have gone to Pro Bowls, five are starters and all seven play significant roles.
Harrison and Polamalu missed Sunday's game against the Jets and their status for the Oakland game is unknown. None of the other injuries is considered serious, and those five players have a chance to or will definitely play.
"It's sore. That's about all I can say about it," Miller said. "It's sore, and obviously that's why I took today off to hopefully speed up the recovery. ... I'm doing my best as far as I'm concerned. I'm preparing to get ready to go and we'll hope for the best."
Follow Steelers reporter Chris Adamski on Twitter @CBSSteelers and @BuzzsawPGH.
