PITTSBURGH -- When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Sean Davis in the second round last spring, defensive coordinator Keith Butler reveled in the possibilities.Here was a 6-foot-1, 202-pound guy who could play both safety and cornerback depending on the situation, someone with the size and the speed to keep up with -- if not totally neutralize -- players like New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.Davis may very well develop into such a player, but hes not there yet.You would like to think we could put him on Gronk and say we got him, Butler said. I dont think anybody can do that.Particularly on the NFLs 30th-ranked pass defense, one that faces Gronkowski, Tom Brady and the rest of the NFLs most diverse offenses on Sunday when the Patriots (5-1) visit Heinz Field. Bradys lit up the Steelers for 24 touchdowns against just three interceptions in 10 career meetings with the Steelers (4-2), most of them against variations of the Steel Curtain that were far more imposing than the current iteration, one rife with inexperience, particularly in the secondary.The growing pains have been evident. Davis has seen his playing time fluctuate and didnt play one defensive snap in last weeks one-sided 30-15 loss to Miami . He may not get back in the lineup this weekend either. Cornerback Artie Burns, a first-round pick, is improving but still very much a work in progress. Special teams ace Rob Golden is in his first year as a starting safety and his main backup is Jordan Dangerfield, a former practice squad player.Throw in linebacker Ryan Shazier -- like Gronkowski a physical marvel -- and the balky knee thats kept him out of the lineup for a month plus a pass rush thats been more rumor than fact in Pittsburghs two losses (zero sacks) and the prospect of facing a dominant Brady seems like a mismatch.We need to play more than one defense against these guys, Butler said. Theyre very good. They can pick you apart if they can figure out what youre doing.Its finding the right looks to throw at Brady -- who has pretty much seen everything -- and the right people to put in the right places thats the problem. Then theres the issue of youthful exuberance. With so many fresh faces, the lure to try and go above and beyond while facing the NFLs top tight end and a Hall of Fame quarterback is only too real.Its tough sometimes, Shazier said. Guys want to make plays. Youre playing against one of the best guys and you want to see how you relate and everything like that.Shazier sees it happen regularly to opposing defenses trying to figure out what to do with Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown.Guys come up with a game plan to stop AB and when youre not sound enough, he destroys you, Shazier said.Its the same with Gronkowski, who set a career high with 162 yards receiving last Sunday against Cincinnati. Having Shazier back may help. And the Steelers are at least a little bit bigger -- if not necessarily better -- than the group that allowed Brady and Gronkowski to hook up for three scores in New Englands 28-21 victory in the 2015 opener. Burns is 6-feet tall, as are cornerbacks Ross Cockrell and Justin Gilbert.While thats still considerably smaller than the 6-6, 265-pound Gronkowski or the 6-7, 248-pound Martellus Bennett, its a start.I think it goes back to being disruptive, said Cockrell, whos had moderate success this season against bigger receivers like Cincinnatis A.J. Green and Brandon Marshall of the New York Jets. Were going to be able to put our hands on some of these guys and disrupt them and disrupt their timing.Davis is hopeful to get in on the act. He understands why hes not atop the depth chart. On a team with lesser ambitions, maybe hed get to play through the mistakes. Not so on the AFC North leaders.I cant complain or mope, Davis said. Ive got to handle my (role).One that will continue its evolution on Sunday in a game that will be as much about mental and physical discipline as it is simple talent.If you abandon your job and help somebody out or try to be selfish and make a play when you really shouldnt, theyre going to capitalize on it, he said. When the plays come your way, youve got to makeem.Game notes Shazier practiced Thursday and is hopeful he can play. Golden (foot) and S Mike Mitchell (knee) also practiced for a second straight day. ... T Marcus Gilbert (ankle), WR Markus Wheaton (shoulder) and RB DeAngelo Williams (knee) did not practice for a second straight day.---Online:AP NFL website:
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http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. White men and women hold nearly 88 percent of key leadership positions at Football Bowl Subdivision schools and conferences, according to a study released Monday.At the 128 FBS schools, white men hold 75.8 percent of school president jobs, and 78.9 percent of athletic director positions, research by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida reported. Nearly 90 percent of faculty athletic representatives are white; 30 percent of those are women. There were five women of color who are faculty athletic representatives.This years report results do not reflect the much more diverse composition of students and student-athletes at colleges and universities across the country, Dr. Richard Lapchick, director of TIDES and principal author of the report, said.All told, whites held 341 of 388 campus positions reported in the study -- nearly 88 percent. In terms of full-time faculty at the FBS schools, 81.8 percent were white.I challenge all colleges and universities to mirror the diversity of their students and studdent-athletes in their campus leadership positions, Lapchick wrote in the report.dddddddddddd. College sport remains behind professional sports regarding opportunities for women and people of color for the top jobs.Of the school presidents, there are five African-American men, three Latino men, four men, and three women of color.Of athletic directors, women hold 7 percent of the jobs, with people of color holding 14.1 percent of the jobs.Nine of 10 conference commissioners were white men -- only Judy MacLeod, who heads Conference USA, is not.There are 16 football coaches of color -- the same as a year ago. African-Americans are 13 of those coaches, with one Latino and two Asian/Pacific Islanders.According to the report, the percentage of black football student-athletes was 53.8 percent in 2016 -- a 0.4 percent increase from a year earlier. The percentage of whites was 41.3 percent -- a 0.1 percentage point decrease from 2015. ' ' '
