Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster ‘feels a lot better’ going into 2nd game after injury layoff

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s first game in more than a month was unproductive and left him in tears. He said his second game back from an injury layoff won’t be a repeat.

“I feel a lot more better this week, just the smoothness of it,” Smith-Schuster said Thursday. “I think last week we were kind of like iffy if I was going or not. This past week, I have been a full participant in everything, in all the practices, so I feel fine. I think my conditioning is up there. Just got to keep playing.”

Smith-Schuster missed four games after suffering a concussion and knee injury on the same play during a Nov. 14 loss at the Cleveland Browns. He returned to action this past Sunday but had just two catches for 22 yards in a loss to the New York Jets. He was targeted on the Steelers’ final offensive play, but the ball sailed just over his fingertips as he ran toward the goal line on a deep pass.

“It’s frustrating when it’s the last play of the game – and you expect your guy to make the play, and I don’t make the play,” #Steelers JuJu Smith-Schuster said https://t.co/dgfxkXwjUK

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) December 23, 2019

Smith-Schuster blamed himself for the loss in the game’s aftermath. He was more upbeat Thursday but still maintained he should have caught the pass from Devlin Hodges.

“It touched the tip of my fingertips,” Smith-Schuster said, “so… as the person in the moment being there, you think… ‘What could you have done to win the game for your team?’ And that’s how I think of it.

“That’s just how I am on myself. A play like that toward the end of the game, a receiver like me, people make those plays. I would say, yes, it was overthrown, but I also feel like I could have adjusted to the ball better or maybe pushed off back and tried to do a miracle catch.”

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