Steelers’ Smith stands out in loss

By Darrell Laurant  |   Tuesday, August 15, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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No football player likes to lose, least of all Anthony Smith.

After suffering through a couple of dismal seasons as a member of the Syracuse Orange (including a 1-10 ordeal in 2005), Smith is quite ready to start winning again. But during the preseason, a rookie can win in the midst of losing -- and that's what the 5-foot-11, 192-pound aspiring Pittsburgh Steeler safety did Saturday during a 21-13 setback at Arizona.

"He is the one kid I thought really showed up," said Steeler coach Bill Cowher after Smith picked off two John Navarre passes and made a couple of tackles. "Anthony Smith is a good football player. He's a natural safety."

At Syracuse, the Hubbard, OH product showed the ability to hone in on the football like a heat-seeking missile. Even as the Orange offense floundered and holes were ripped in a tired defense, Smith finished his final season with 71 tackles, six interceptions, three sacks, 10 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and a blocked punt. It doesn't get much better than that.

Those numbers are why the Steelers made Smith their second pick in the draft. If nothing else, they reasoned, his six career blocked punts would make him an asset on special teams.

So far, though, Smith has shown the ability to be more. And although Kurt Warner sliced and diced the Steeler secondary at times in the opener, Smith didn't do much for Navarre's faint hope of slipping ahead of the still-unsigned Matt Leinart as Warner's backup.

In losing, Smith won. In winning, Navarre lost. That's the way it goes in preseason.

NOTES: When the two teams kicked off in Arizona's new $455 million stadium, Steeler QB Ben Roethlisberger was just glad his teammates weren't wearing black armbands.

Roethlisberger narrowly escaped permanent injury -- or worse -- in a motorcycle accident back in June, but he started for the Steelers on Saturday. And if Cowher had any apprehension that his star might be gun-shy about his recently healed facial injuries, Roethlisberger alleviated them in a hurry, hitting three of four passes and evading a sack from the Cardinals' Adrian Wilson.

The latter play did alarm Cowher somewhat, however.

"I just told him that considering where we are now, I'd rather he go down than trying to fight to get free," the coach said.

Roethlisberger did get hit at least once, a third-down sack by Bertrand Berry.

Omar Jacobs, competing for the third-string quarterback job behind Roethlisberger, produced the Steelers' only touchdown with a short pass to rookie tight end Isaac Smolka. Top draft pick Santonio Holmes caught four passes for 32 yards.

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