McDonald also noticed a difference in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the chemistry surrounding the team as a whole after the Steelers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Both changes have him excited for 2019.

”I think it’s just open dialogue and communication, not necessarily with (Roethlisberger), but with all guys,” McDonald said. ”It’s not even worth waking up and going through the day mad or angry about a situation or about guys, so you put all of that into open air and let it go. It’s impossible to explain, but it feels very open, free and fun.”

Two-time All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell declined to sign his $14.5 million franchise tender last year and opted to sit out his final season with the Steelers.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown, a four-time All-Pro, was benched by coach Mike Tomlin before a must-win Week 17 home game against Cincinnati. Then he spent the first two months of the offseason doing what he could to force his way out of town before he was ultimately traded to Oakland.

McDonald said he never considered Brown a distraction to the team.

”No one is perfect,” McDonald said. ”He’s such a dynamic player, and the way he handles his business is one that’s very out front and in the open. I’m not going to judge or frown upon that. I loved the guy while I played with him and I think he’s the best receiver that I’ve ever seen.”

McDonald did, however, reference team unity as a whole.

”I never wish that anyone who walks through the doors and puts on a Steeler jersey is going to say that they’re more important than the man beside them, or they’re more important than the team,” McDonald said. ”That’s not the mentality that we need, and when you get too much of that, things start to crumble. I’m not saying (Brown) had that, but it’s something we absolutely have to stay away from.”

McDonald feels confident that Roethlisberger will have another strong season after the two-time Super Bowl winner led the NFL in passing and broke the franchise record with 34 touchdowns.

”He’s the best there is,” McDonald said. ”I believe it when he says that he’s going to be the best he’s ever been this year. This is only the second camp that I’ve been to with him and just his whole approach and demeanor is completely different this year. I think he’s ready and willing to do everything that it takes to win another championship.”

McDonald played in 15 games, making 14 starts last season. He established career highs with 50 catches for 610 yards, while also tying a personal best with four touchdowns.

McDonald wants to build on that this season.

”At the end of the day, I want to do whatever it takes to win,” McDonald said. ”If it ends up coming my way, I’m absolutely going to accept that. If the ball finds me more this year, I’ll gladly take it.”

McDonald, a second-round pick in 2013, spent his first four seasons in San Francisco. The Steelers acquired the 29-year-old in a trade two weeks before the start of the 2017 regular season, and he has developed into the leader of a tight end room filled with younger talent.

McDonald looks to step into more of a leadership role on the offense this season. He also wants to help fill the void following the offseason departures of Brown and Bell.

”You never want to enter in a position where you think you arrived or hit a ceiling,” McDonald said. ”There’s always room for improvement and training camp is a great place to dive deeper into that, not only for relationships, but also your game.”

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Bell signed his franchise tender on Monday, clearing him to return for the 2017 season. The team placed the franchise tag on Bell in February. He declined to sign his one-year, $12.1 million tender while waiting to see if a long-term deal could be reached. When the Steelers and Bell did not come to an agreement by the mid-July deadline, Bell opted to skip training camp and work out on his own.

The Steelers were given a two-week roster exemption for Bell, meaning they can carry an additional player on the 53-man roster.

Bell worked out with the rest of the team Monday. His status for Pittsburgh’s season opener in Cleveland is uncertain.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, January 15, 2017
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, NBC.
LINE: Chiefs -1.5.
O/U: 44
PREDICTION: Steelers 23, Chiefs 20

Oddsmakers currently have the KANSAS CITY listed as -1.5 point favorites versus the PITTSBURGH, while the game’s total is sitting at 44.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The old saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold. Last Sunday, in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers avenged a regular-season loss to the Miami Dolphins, and did it in quite frigid temperatures at Heinz Field, winning by 18 points.

This Sunday (1:05 p.m. ET, NBC), the revenge table is turned on the Steelers, as they travel to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to play the Chiefs in an AFC divisional round game. Early weather forecasts are calling for rain and cold temperatures. Oddsmakers have listed the home team as a one-point favorite.

In the first days of October, the Chiefs traveled to Pittsburgh and got hammered by the Steelers, losing 43-14 in a Sunday night game. The 29-point deficit was one of the season’s biggest blowout defeats suffered by a team that eventually made the playoffs. That loss left the Chiefs 2-2 on the season, but afterward it won 10 of the next 12 games and captured an AFC West division title.

But that game was a complete meltdown for the Chiefs and they are determined to back up their AFC No. 2 seeding by paying back the visiting Steelers.

“There are important matters in front of us now,” said K.C. quarterback Alex Smith. “There are a lot of emotions this time of year. Everybody’s put in a lot of work and sacrifice to have these kinds of opportunities.”

After getting their revenge against the Dolphins, the Steelers know what they will face in Kansas City.

“We have to understand that the same passion and dedication that we put in to beat Miami, that’s how Kansas City is going to try to beat us,” said Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell. “We have to put that much more time into our detail. We have to do all the little things right because they’re going to try to take the things away that we did well last game and make us beat them a different way.”

Bell ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns last week against Miami. It was a record-setting rushing performance in Pittsburgh postseason history. Back in October, Bell put up 144 yards on 18 carries against Kansas City.

“He has a unique style about him — that delay to get to the line of scrimmage,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Bell. “It’s been effective for him. He’s really the only one that does it, so it’s unique. The obvious thing is you have to contain him and take care of your gaps.”

Pittsburgh is riding an eight-game winning streak and an AFC North title with more than just Bell. Wide receiver Antonio Brown was among the league leaders in catches (106), receiving yards (1,284) and touchdown receptions (12) for the fourth consecutive year. Brown had the first two touchdowns against Miami, connecting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on scoring plays of 50 and 62 yards. When these teams met earlier, the Steelers’ quarterback threw five touchdown passes to four different receivers.

The Chiefs can test the Pittsburgh defense with big plays from wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. Over Kansas City’s last six games, Hill and Kelce scored seven total touchdowns and contributed 45 percent of the offensive yards (470 of 2,150.)

“He is as dynamic as any tight end in football right now,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of Kelce. “He is a matchup issue — too athletic for linebackers, too big and strong often times for secondary people. Hill’s contributions have evolved since we played them. Now, he is very much a part of their routine offensive attack. He is an impactful guy and his speed and bursts are unique.”

The quarterback matchup is actually pretty even. In the regular season, Roethlisberger had 29 touchdown passes compared to Smith’s 15, but the Chiefs’ quarterback threw eight interceptions compared to 13 for the Steelers’ passer. Big Ben has a big edge in postseason experience, playing in his 19th game. Smith will make his sixth start, but he has an interception percentage of 0.5 percent in the postseason, the top mark in league history for passers that attempted at least 150 passes.

Roethlisberger was expected to play with no limitations despite aggravating an old foot injury in the victory over Miami.

“You have to play good football and do what got you here,” said Reid, with an 11-11 record in the postseason. “There is not a lot of room for error. That’s just not what this time of the year is about. You have to have good line play on both sides of the ball. That’s what you get this time of the year.”

There’s no time for revenge either said Tomlin.

“We don’t care about the nameless gray faces we’re playing right now,” said Tomlin, who has a 7-5 mark in the playoffs. “This is man versus himself. We’re trying to do what’s required to win. We’re not trying to settle vendettas and things of that nature. What happened during the regular season is of little importance. What is important is that you do enough to get out of these stadiums and advance.”

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Ten snaps. All handoffs from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to Le’Veon Bell.

Each one of them chewing up clock, yardage and whatever mettle Miami’s defensive front seven might have brought north to chilly Heinz Field with them.

When the drive ended 83 yards and 5:27 later with Bell stretching across the goal line to give the Steelers a 20-3 lead, Pittsburgh’s transformation from aerial circus that produced a quick two-touchdown lead to a battering ram protecting that advantage was complete.

”It’s the best feeling for an offensive lineman controlling the line of scrimmage and knowing they can’t stop it,” right tackle Marcus Gilbert said. ”That surge off the football, it kills the defense. It demoralizes them.”

And it showcased just how versatile Pittsburgh’s offense has become during the eight-game winning streak it carries to Kansas City on Sunday in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The Steelers have beaten teams in various ways during their two-month renaissance following a choppy 4-5 start.

One week it’s Roethlisberger hooking up with Antonio Brown three times for scores as they did during a Thanksgiving night victory in Indianapolis.

The next it’s Bell setting a franchise record with 236 yards rushing in snowy Buffalo.

It’s the kind of versatility the Steelers (12-5) believe can make them a tough out going forward, one they showcased during their first meeting with the Chiefs in October, when Roethlisberger tossed five touchdowns and Bell ran for 144 yards in his return from a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

”We’re a team that’s really balanced,” Bell said . ”We can spread guys out, throw the ball all over the place, line up big, run the ball out of shotgun or run or pass out of four-wide. I think we’re really balanced, and we can attack in different ways.”

Having a healthy line and one of the league’s most skilled backs certainly helps. The proof of Pittsburgh’s dominance running the ball over the past seven weeks – a stretch in which Bell has piled up 1,002 yards rushing – is that the Steelers haven’t done much to disguise when they’re going let Bell do his thing.

When Pittsburgh wants to set the tone, offensive coordinator Todd Haley will often send in 286-pound guard Chris Hubbard as a sixth lineman with 270-pound blocking tight end David Johnson. Though technically there are pass options for Roethlisberger when the Steelers go to their ”heavy” set, they don’t.

It’s a formula borrowed from former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher, who championed the idea of throwing early so you can run late.

It worked to near perfection against the Dolphins, when Bell broke Hall of Famer Franco Harris’ franchise record for yards rushing in a postseason game by the end of the third quarter.

Bell finished with 167 yards on the ground and Pittsburgh cruised to its biggest playoff blowout in 20 years on a day Roethlisberger threw just 18 passes and just six in the second half.

”We have a better understanding of who we are,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday.

What Pittsburgh needs to be in Kansas City is potent but also careful with the ball, something that’s been an issue at times recently in the postseason.

Roethlisberger has thrown nine interceptions in his past seven playoff games, including a pair against Miami.

The second came on a third-down overthrow with less than 5 minutes to go that left Roethlisberger’s right foot pinned underneath Miami’s Cameron Wake and forced Roethlisberger to briefly wear a protective boot after the game.

Roethlisberger said on his weekly radio show on Tuesday that his foot is fine and Tomlin has no concerns over Roethlisberger’s availability while also taking the blame for having his franchise quarterback throwing so late with things well in hand.

”I got a little overaggressive there,” Tomlin said.

A trait that’s been a hallmark of the Tomlin/Roethlisberger/Haley partnership.

Tomlin would love to be in the position again on Sunday.

So would the rest of the Steelers, who have no problem ceding the ball and the spotlight to Bell and the big guys in front of him who have been the guiding force during two months of methodical brilliance.

”When Bell keeps running the ball the way he’s running the ball, I don’t care if we pass the ball five times a game,” rookie wide receiver Demarcus Ayers said. ”If we come out of stadiums healthy and Bell does what he does, I’m fine with that.”

NOTES: Tomlin said there is no timetable for how long assistant coach Joey Porter will remain on leave. The team placed Porter on leave Monday following his arrest on several charges stemming from an incident at a Pittsburgh bar hours after the victory over Miami. … TE Ladarius Green remains in the concussion protocol after missing his third straight game following a helmet-to-helmet hit against Cincinnati.

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The altercation happened at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, following the Steelers’ 30-12 home victory over the Dolphins in the opening round of the NFL playoffs. Pittsburgh placed Porter on leave during a review. The Steelers visit Kansas City in the divisional round of the playoffs next weekend.

According to a criminal complaint, Officer Paul Abel was working security at another nearby bar when he was told by an off-duty officer that the doorman at The Flats on Carson Street was being threatened by a Steeler.

Abel said he arrived to find the doorman refusing to let Porter – who appeared to be intoxicated – into the club.

”Last time you were here, you threatened to kill me,” Abel overheard the doorman saying to Porter. ”You need to leave. You are not getting in.” Police didn’t elaborate on the context of the remark.

Abel, the 5-foot-6, 145-pound officer who filed the complaint, said Porter, 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, ignored him when he asked what was going on and grabbed him by the arms and lifted him off the ground. The doorman, described as 6 foot and 195 pounds, wasn’t aggressive with Porter and had his hands in his pockets, according to the complaint.

Abel said he pulled Porter away from the doorman, according to the complaint. That’s when Porter grabbed the officer’s wrists ”so tightly that I could not pull them away from him, no matter how hard I tried,” the complaint said.

Porter backed away but then refused to put his hands behind his back.

Porter eventually allowed himself to be handcuffed but yelled, ”You’re lying, I never touched you,” as Abel arrested him, the complaint said.

Porter was charged with aggravated assault on the officer, simple assault on the doorman, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, defiant trespass and public drunkenness. Physical contact with a police officer is automatically charged as aggravated assault in Pennsylvania, even if the nature of the alleged conduct would constitute simple assault against a regular citizen.

Online court records don’t list an attorney for Porter, who posted $25,000 bond and faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 19 in Pittsburgh City Court.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement that the club is continuing to gather information and will communicate with the NFL, as required by the Personal Conduct Policy.

Porter, the Steelers’ outside linebackers coach, spent 13 seasons as a linebacker with Pittsburgh, Miami and Arizona. He went to the Pro Bowl four times, three with the Steelers, while playing there from 1999 to 2006, and once with Miami. He also starred on the Steelers’ 2006 Super Bowl championship team.

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This story has been corrected to show that police now say Porter is charged with disorderly conduct, not terroristic threats, among other charges.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Steelers -3.
O/U: 44
PREDICTION: Steelers 20, Bengals 17

Oddsmakers currently have the Steelers listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Bengals, while the game’s total is sitting at 44½.

Just a month ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were floundering amid a three-game losing streak, Mike Tomlin’s job was in jeopardy and there was serious talk about missing the playoffs.

But then the Steelers rediscovered Le’Veon Bell and the running game, and now Pittsburgh (7-5) is knocking on the postseason door. And all is well with everyone in the Steel City who waves the Terrible Towel.

That’s bad news for the Cincinnati Bengals, who need a lot of things to go right if they are going to make the playoffs for the six straight season.

After going winless in November, Cincinnati (5-7-1) has reeled off two straight victories to have just a minuscule chance at the playoff.

Now the road gets tougher for Cincinnati with Sunday’s home game against Bell and the Steelers. AFC North rival Baltimore comes to town before the Bengals close out the regular season with a road game at Houston.

“There are three big weeks left and it will be a challenge,” tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “It’s three really good teams, and so we’ll have an opportunity to really put our will forward. We have a great opportunity with Pittsburgh coming to our place and what should be a big battle.”

After running roughshod over the Buffalo Bills last week, the Steelers control their own destiny as they took over sole possession of first place in the North.

Pittsburgh turned its season around when the coaching staff realized Bell could take pressure off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and shoulder the offensive load.

Against Buffalo, Bell set a franchise record with 236 rushing yards with an additional 62 receiving yards. He scored three touchdowns.

In the past four games that coincided with the Steelers becoming a serious contender again, Bell has averaged nearly 30 carries and 115 rushing yards. There’s nothing more valuable than a workhorse running back in wintry conditions.

“It’s December football,” Bell said. “We understand everybody is fighting for position. We just want to get the job done. That’s all there is to it.”

The Steelers control their own fate with games left against AFC North rivals Cincinnati, Baltimore and Cleveland.

“We are in a good situation right now, but we obviously have to win this game and (get) better,” Bell said.

During the Steelers’ four-game losing skid that preceded the winning streak, Bell was the forgotten man. In each of those games, he was held to 81 yards or fewer; in three of those four losses he was held to 60 yards or fewer.

“I can’t say enough about the run game, and when I talk about the run game, it’s not just Le’Veon Bell — our guys out front did a heck of a job,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “Fullback Rosie Nix and our big personnel packages did a really good job of blocking a myriad of fronts because as the game wore on, they threw a lot at us.”

The Bills challenged Roethlisberger, who struggled in the snow and wind at Orchard Park as he completed just 17 of 31 pass attempts for 220 yards and three interceptions. Roethlisberger will need to be more efficient this week against a Bengals’ defense that is all too familiar with the Steelers signal-caller.

The past couple of times the two teams have met, there have been accusations of dirty play as players on both sides have been injured.

“I hope it’s not dirty,” Roethlisberger said. “We expect a physical game. That’s what we want it to be. We expect them to be the same way. We are not going to be a dirty team. We are going to go out and play football and play hard and physical, not retaliate. Just play this game the way it’s supposed to be played. If there are a lot of nasty things going on, I guess we will know why.”

Against Cleveland last week, Andy Dalton wasn’t at his best — but he didn’t have to be as Cincinnati ran for 213 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Jeremy Hill ran for 111 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals earned a second consecutive win for the first time this season.

And they won both those games without All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Green, who was out with a hamstring injury. Green could return against the Steelers. On Wednesday, he took part in practice for the first time in 24 days.

Cornerback Adam Jones (ankle) did not take part in Wednesday’s practice, but is expected to play Sunday.

Dalton has 17 touchdown passes this season. He knows if the Bengals are to stay in the race until the end, he has to be at his best in the last three games. But Dalton is looking ahead — not behind.

“We wasted some opportunities early in the year,” he said. “We can’t worry about that. For us, it’s all about finishing strong.”

Both defenses are coming off solid performances.

Running against the Steelers is going to be a challenge for Hill, despite the Steelers missing Cameron Heyward, their best defensive lineman.

During their four-game winning streak, they haven’t allowed a team to rush for 100 yards. Buffalo was the top rushing team heading into Sunday, but the Bills were held to just 67 yards. Running back LeSean McCoy was held to 27 yards on 12 carries.

The Steelers also recorded five sacks and an interception.

Cincinnati held the Browns to 10 points and was led by defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording two sacks and five tackles.

The Cincinnati defense has held its last four opponents to under 15 points per game.

Neither Vontaze Burfict nor Bell played in Week 2 when the two teams tangled in Pittsburgh, a 24-16 Steelers’ win. The Bengals also were without tight end Tyler Eifert.

One Bengal who did play, kicker Mike Nugent, was released on Tuesday. Cincinnati signed veteran Randy Bullock.

Neither Roethlisberger nor Maurkice Pouncey practiced on Wednesday, but neither was injured. Safety Shamarko Thomas (concussion) and wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) missed practice.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2016
Where: New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Steelers -2. O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Bills 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Steelers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Bills, while the game’s total is sitting at 45½.

ABOUT THE BILLS (6-6): Quarterback Tyrod Taylor walked away from the podium during Wednesday’s media conference amid questions of his future with his numbers dipping across the board, but he received staunch support from his coach. “I just think it is easy to sit back and be critical, but if you are playing without five receivers in the game … I think it is going to affect you,” Ryan said. Barring any setbacks, Taylor could have both his top two wide receivers — Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods — in the lineup for the first time since Week 2 to complement running back LeSean McCoy, who is coming off consecutive 100-yard games. The bigger worry for Ryan and the Bills is a defense that surrendered 29 unanswered points to the Raiders.

Buffalo Stats:
Team record: 6-6 SU,5-6-1 ATS
Buffalo is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Buffalo is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Buffalo’s last 8 games

ABOUT THE STEELERS (7-5): With Ben Roethlisberger at the helm of a high-powered attack that features running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh’s offense typically garners the headlines. However, a much-maligned defense that was pierced for 113 points during the four-game skid has answered the bell during the winning streak, allowing a total of 30 points and holding the New York Giants to one touchdown until the final minute of last week’s 24-14 victory. “There’s no time to slap ourselves on the back,” cautioned 38-year-old linebacker James Harrison, part of a unit that has registered 13 sacks in the past three games. Tight end Ladarius Green has bolstered the offense with six catches for 110 yards and a TD last week.
Pittsburgh was a 24-14 winner in its last match at home against the Giants. They covered the -6.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 38 sent UNDER bettors to the payout window.

Pittsburgh Stats:
Team record: 7-5 SU,7-5 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh’s last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Buffalo

EXTRA POINTS
1. Brown needs seven receptions to break the record by Marvin Harrison for most catches (469) during any four-year span.
2. Bills backup RB Mike Gillislee has rushed for six touchdowns in the past seven games.
3. Tomlin can become the eighth coach in history with 100 wins in their first eight seasons.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker heads into Sunday’s game against the New York Giants without any limitations, ending a patience-testing stretch in which the 2015 first-round pick missed training camp then underwent sports hernia surgery before beginning the arduous process of getting back into what coach Mike Tomlin calls ”football shape.”

The initial step came against Cleveland two weeks ago, when Dupree made it on the field for a single snap. The next came on Thanksgiving in Indianapolis, where Dupree picked up his first two tackles in nearly 11 months in a 28-7 victory. Dupree was in the huddle for 20 plays against the Colts, enough to unleash weeks of pent up adrenaline. And almost enough for Dupree to start lobbying defensive coordinator Keith Butler and outside linebackers coach Joey Porter for more playing time.

”I will but I try not to because I don’t want to get on their nerves,” Dupree said with a laugh. ”Some people do it. Some people don’t. I just don’t get into it. I’m right beside (the coaches). If they put me in, they put me in.”

And they’re most certainly going to put Dupree in against the surging Giants (8-3), who have only surrendered 13 sacks all season. Pittsburgh needs to make Eli Manning uncomfortable if it wants to end New York’s six-game winning streak, something the Steelers have struggled to do against good teams this season. Only nine of Pittsburgh’s 24 sacks have come against teams with winning records.

”We want to get to the quarterback,” Dupree said.

Dupree’s return should help. He finished with four sacks as a rookie last fall, though all of them came over the first half of the season. He trimmed 20 pounds off his 6-foot-4 frame last spring and while he believes the hernia wasn’t a result of trying to cut weight, he admits he was diagnosed after ”working out too much.”

Whatever the cause, Dupree insists it’s behind him and in a way, he’s relieved. Doctors told him the injury was bound to happen at some point. By taking care of it now, he’s optimistic it won’t come back to haunt him in the future. Either way, he’s encouraged with the added explosiveness. He’s not the only one.

”He’s moving good,” Butler said. ”Is he moving faster? How fast you are only matters when you’re playing on the field. So how fast does he play? He played at a pretty good pace the other night. So we’ll see if he continues to get better.”

Tomlin saw enough to lock Dupree into the four-man rotation at outside linebacker alongside seemingly ageless James Harrison, leaving Jarvis Jones, Anthony Chickillo or Arthur Moats as the odd man out.

”As Bud gets up to speed, somebody’s going to win, somebody’s going to lose,” Tomlin said. ”I don’t care who wins. I think we all win if we play the hot hand and those are our intentions.”

It’s a spot Dupree is thankful to be in after being placed on injured reserve at the end of training camp and enduring a setback early in his rehab that threatened his entire season. It was the first time in his football life he’d been forced to sit and watch for an extended period of time. And it wasn’t fun.

”I just tried to stay positive,” he said. ”But was it easy? No, it wasn’t.”

Dupree buried himself in the film room, and Butler believes the mental reps have allowed Dupree to quickly rise back up the depth chart. The goal now is to stay there. The way the Steelers move guys in and out of the lineup, he doesn’t need to be ready for 60 snaps. If he’s fresh for 40 or so, he thinks that will be enough to make an impact. He’s not as big as he was a year ago. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

”It’s not about that,” Dupree said. ”It’s about being flexible, being bendable, being loose. I just want to go out there and ball.”

NOTES: G David DeCastro (ill), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) and RB D. Williams (knee) did not practice Wednesday. … TE Xavier Grimble (quadriceps), S Shamarko Thomas (groin) were full participants.

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New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, October 23, 2016
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Patriots -7. O/U: 47
PREDICTION: Patriots 24, Steelers 23
Oddsmakers currently have the Patriots listed as 2-point favorites versus the Steelers, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.

Backup quarterback Landry Jones, who appeared in seven games last season and struggled in a start at Kansas City, is surrounded by plenty of talent — namely star wideout Antonio Brown and do-everything running back Le’Veon Bell. Brown tied for the league lead with 136 receptions last season and has 376 catches from 2013-15, but he has failed to find the end zone in 11 games without Roethlisberger. Bell is averaging 5.5 yards per carry and has 20 receptions in his three games since returning from suspension and will likely carry a heavy workload. Pittsburgh’s defense ranks 30th against the pass (293.7 yards per game). Pittsburgh lost its last outing, a 30-15 result against the Dolphins on October 16. The Steelers failed to cover in that game as a -7.5-point favorite, while the 45 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 4-2 SU,4-2 ATS
Pittsburgh is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Pittsburgh is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games

Sitting out the first month had no apparent negative effect on Brady, who has thrown for 782 yards with six touchdowns and zero interceptions while completing 76 percent of his passes in the first two games. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, hobbled by a hamstring injury that forced him to sit out two games, has come alive with a pair of 100-yard games since the return of Brady, including seven receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 35-17 win over Cincinnati. New England’s linebacker corps is riddled with injuries, although Dont’a Hightower was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. In their last action, New England was a 35-17 winner at home against the Bengals. They covered the -7.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (52) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 5-1 SU,5-1 ATS
New England is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
New England is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
New England is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road

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San Francisco at Pittsburgh
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Steelers -5.5. O/U: 45
PREDICTION: Steelers 31, 49ers 17
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Oddsmakers currently have the Steelers listed as 6½-point favorites versus the 49ers, while the game’s total is sitting at 45.

Despite missing receiver Martavis Bryant (suspension) and Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (lower leg injury), Ben Roethlisberger threw for 351 yards and found Brown for an 11-yard touchdown in the waning moments of the season-opening loss. Although Brown has collected at least five receptions for 50 yards in an NFL-record 33 consecutive games (34 including playoffs), he wasn’t too pleased with the team’s inability to convert in the red zone. “Numbers are great, but it’s all about winning,” Brown said.

In their last action, Pittsburgh was a 28-21 loser on the road against the Patriots. They earned a push of the +7-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (49) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Team record: 0-1 SU,0-0-1 ATS
Pittsburgh is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home

Tomsula was particularly thrilled with what he saw from Colin Kaepernick, although the quarterback’s statistics (165 yards passing, 41 rushing) don’t exactly jump off the page. “I don’t think we had something that was broke,” Tomsula said of the 27-year-old Kaepernick. “He’s a very talented athlete. He’s a very talented quarterback. He’s got a skill set, we just want to utilize his skill set.” Vernon Davis, who reeled in three receptions for 47 yards, will look to exploit a Pittsburgh defense that was gashed for three touchdowns by fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots.

San Francisco won its last outing, a 20-3 result against the Vikings on September 14. The 49ers covered in that game as a +3-point underdog, while the 23 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
San Francisco is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
San Francisco is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Francisco’s last 8 games
San Francisco is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games on the road

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