Steelers bring next, next man up to life with Leglue, Witherspoon, Adams in win vs. Ravens

John Leglue had to open his remarks with media Monday by giving a tutorial on how to pronounce his name.

“Leg, glue,” the offensive lineman said. “just like Elmer’s Glue.”

The evening prior, Cameron Heyward had to explain what name Montravius Adams went by.

“We call him, ‘Mon,’ ” Heyward said.

It’s Week 13 of the regular season, and now typically is not the time for introductions. But it’s been that kind of season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

You’ve heard of how they like to operate under the credo of “Next man up.” Well, how about the next man, after the next man … after the next man, after the other man … who replaced the original man … up?

“That’s what this game is about it, isn’t it?” coach Mike Tomlin said. “Particularly at this level: guys getting opportunities, and guys taking advantage of it.”

Sunday, during a high-profile rivalry game, there were no shortage of previously unknown or forgotten players who, by necessity, were given opportunities and shined:

Signed five days prior, Adams played almost half the Steelers’ defensive snaps as their top nose tackle.

With his fourth organization in 2 1/2 years since going undrafted, Leglue stepped in for an injured B.J. Finney during the first quarter and played the rest of the way at left guard.

A healthy scratch in eight of the first nine games after arriving in a post-training camp trade, Ahkello Witherspoon served as an every-down outside cornerback

All played significant roles in Sunday’s 20-19 win that kept the Steelers alive in the AFC North race.

John Leglue, after introducing himself to us with his name pronunciation, talks about making his NFL debut Sunday as the Steelers’ 5th left guard this season pic.twitter.com/qLci2hvmOb

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 6, 2021

“Any time you are on a 53-man roster (or) practice squad in an NFL setting, you are going to have an opportunity of whatever that looks like,” said Witherspoon, who had five tackles and a critical break-up of a fourth-quarter pass. “I know (Steelers coaches) believe in me, and I believe in myself.

“In this game, that’s the goal, to show who you are day in and day out regardless of the hardships and the challenges.”

The challenge Witherspoon faced was joining a third team in about an eight-month span. In September, the Steelers acquired him in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick from Seattle, who had signed Witherspoon to a one-year deal in March — after he had spent his first four NFL seasons playing for San Francisco.

Witherspoon conceded it was an adjustment adapting to the Steelers’ scheme, and it showed. On one of only four snaps he played during the first 10 weeks of the season, he was beaten for a 61-yard touchdown in a loss to Las Vegas Raiders.

“What I learned through my trials and tribulations through this league is to kind of step back and go on to the next play, the next opportunity,” Witherspoon said. “Whether that be a week from now or four weeks from now.”

Ahkello Witherspoon on the adjustment of getting traded to the Steelers at the end of camp and finally getting his biggest chance Sunday vs Balt pic.twitter.com/QYFeQCsFS0

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 6, 2021

Or, eight weeks, in the case of Witherspoon, whom the Steelers finally turned to after an injury to veteran Joe Haden and after becoming frustrated with the play of replacement James Pierre.

Leglue’s path went even deeper down the depth chart. He is the fifth left guard the Steelers have deployed this season. Starter Kevin Dotson and top interior backup J.C Hassenauer are on injured reserve. Veteran utility lineman Joe Haeg is on the covid list. Finney suffered a back injury during the first offensive series Sunday.

“It’s one of those things you prepare every week like you’re going to be playing,” said Leglue, who spent all season on the practice squad until a promotion to the 53-man roster two weeks ago. “The O-line coaches emphasize that. Coach Tomlin always tells us, ‘Make sure you take advantage of every opportunity,’ and one of the biggest things is that every day in practice, we all practice with a purpose in order to be able to maximize our opportunity when we do get it.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Leglue did not allow a QB pressure in his pass blocking and graded as the Steelers’ second-best lineman in run blocking Sunday.

Defensively, Adams was credited with a QB pressure, a batted-down pass and two tackles.

A five-year veteran who was released by two teams over the past 3 1/2 months, Adams was needed when the Steelers began last week with three defensive linemen on injured reserve and three others on the injury report.

“It was a good experience,” Tomlin said of Adams’ Steelers debut. “We had an opportunity (postgame) to walk up the tunnel together after the game, and I expressed appreciation for his efforts. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity.”

Adams wasn’t the only one feeling appreciative on a day “next man up” proved more than mere coachspeak for the Steelers.

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