By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) Hines Ward would not realize exactly where it will come from, really.
The Pittsburgh Steelers huge receiver will not have countless ideas either. He are unable to inform you the reason he leapt over Tennessee's Michael Griffin for the goal line during the third quarter to help report his or her second touchdown from the morning within Pittsburgh's easier as compared to envisioned 38-17 rout.
Maybe ?t had been instinct. Maybe it absolutely was the actual memory regarding yanking similar move about Denver's Champ Bailey lots of years ago. Maybe it was the continuing results of most this nifty footwork this individual viewed although earning "Dancing With your Stars" in the course of this spring.
Ward would not find out and also to become honest, he or she will not care.
"I can't put a new finger on the designed me do that," Ward said, "but only to make it happen in order to manage to assistance this kind of crew find going, which is most that will matters."
That's almost all that is definitely ever previously mattered on the 35-year-old Ward, even as his employment numbers have arrived at shocking heights.
The 14-year experienced needs thirteen yards against Jacksonville with Sunday to meet or exceed Hall-of-Famer Michael Irvin for 19th for the all-time list. He's 108 meters off from growing to be just your eighteenth phone to arrive that 12,000-yard plateau and is 26 catches far from 1,000.
Heady phone numbers for any receiver, astronomical models for your person about franchise which has built it's base in addition to six Super Bowl championships on going this ball.
It's an onus that's not displaced about Ward, arguably one of the greatest blocking receivers with history. He's certainly not hesitated to be able to keep to his or her 6-foot, 205-pound mode in the experience on the linebacker praying connected with making a seam to get a back. His random world back of the shirt operate ethic inside a highly white-colored back of the shirt situation possesses endeared him or her to 1 in the NFL's almost all ardent fan bottoms and created your pet one of several team's unquestioned leaders.
One who required it with themselves that will help the Steelers break up out of a first months funk. Ward sat silently with his locker 7 days in the past after the actual staff chop down to 2-2 using a definitive decline at Houston and pressured there is absolutely no need to position fingers, contributing there was clearly ample blame to travel around.
He after that told her which includes a retro performance, grabbing eleven moves with regard to 54 yards in addition to their initial two fico score game with two years. His 7.7 yards per reception is usually deceiving. Six with their seven catches travelled intended for first downs and also touchdowns, including his balletic immerse around Griffin in which offered that Steelers a 28-3 head inside third quarter.
"That's Hines," other extensive phone Antonio Brown said. "He's passionate. He's tough. He's a guy it is possible to study from for the reason that they have been undergoing it at a top level for therefore long."
Ward has established a relatively waned factor inside the criminal offense with normal grace. Third-year speedster Mike Wallace can be establishing into on the list of top rated heavy risks inside game. Brown plus Emmanuel Sanders are usually more youthful as well as quicker. Tight finish Heath Miller stays a well liked involving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, particularly in debt zone.
Yet using the period from a crucial point, Roethlisberger started that person that is definitely recently been a new dutiful protection umbrella for whoever has become within middle because your dog joined up with the actual team with 1998. Kordell Stewart. Tommy Maddox. Mike Tomczak. Charlie Batch. Byron Leftwich. Whenever it is really third-and-6 there is certainly already been minor question exactly where the ball is definitely heading.
"I often delight myself on currently being the actual chap this Ben and also this organization can low fat your current ushanka on, for being this dependable gentleman to look released and produce play," Ward said.
Though he / she knows his screen is closing, never think it is really close to currently being shut.
"I cannot switch my age, I know I'm 35," Ward said. "That's the storyplot but for me it is only a make any difference regarding just keeping healthy."
And Ward claims he is for no reason were feeling better. While his teammates sat from property in the NFL lockout questioning when they would return to work, Ward had been cha-chaing his approach to the actual hand mirror ball trophy on "Dancing With your Stars."
He's unlikely to declare all that two-stepping helped his footwork, nevertheless it without doubt couldn't hurt. The glow of the victory, however, ended up being tarnished by simply his / her public arrest for a DUI ask for in July. He apologized with the distraction nevertheless maintains his innocence.
If the actual police arrest can be a distraction, it does not show. He's upon speed in order to leading 60 receptions for that 11th time frame with his / her career, anything Steeler greats John Stallworth and Lynn Swann merged to accomplish five times, nevertheless Ward is definitely fast to point out they have four Super Bowl rings along with your dog includes simply two.
How more rings, blasts and well-choreographed touchdown dances will Ward have left? He's certainly not sure. Ward is closed by way of 2013, as soon as he will be 37. If he stays harm free, he or she can discover him self using above that, however this individual cautions he or she is not going to stick around alongside seeing that fellow "Dancing With the actual Stars" alum Jerry Rice, who seem to ended up being getting goes over until they has been 42.
"I won't participate in that long, confidence me," Ward said. "I take that twelve months at the time. When I look up along with I'm heading versus a chap in which I'm imagined to be getting start against constantly and I'm not, I'll walk away from your game."
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