JuJu Smith-Schuster “happy being 5-0” whether he gets ball or not

Steely McBeam

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Mar 20, 2019
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After a down 2019 season playing with backup quarterbacks, the expectation in Pittsburgh was that wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s numbers would rise with Ben Roethlisberger back in the lineup.

That has not been the case, however. Smith-Schuster leads the Steelers with 23 catches through their first five games, but they’ve only amounted to 194 yards. Rookie Chase Claypool is leading the team with 335 receiving yards and has grabbed the headlines with five touchdowns over the last two weeks.

James Washington and Diontae Johnson have also had moments in the spotlight, but Smith-Schuster said he’s fine with anything that comes his way as long as the Steelers keep winning games.

“I’m happy being 5-0,” Smith-Schuster said, via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “People tell me you only got me two points this week in fantasy. I’d rather have two points and be 5-0 than be 1-5 and have 25 fantasy points. . . . I’m having fun all the time whether I get the ball or not. Whether it’s two catches for 10 yards or six catches for 60 yards, it’s more for the team and the atmosphere.”

Smith-Schuster has been working out of the slot more than any time in the past and Claypool thinks that “enables the outside guys to do things” because of how much attention he draws from defenses. Whether that’s the case or not, the current approach is working for the Steelers and there’s little reason to rock the boat as long as that’s the case.
 
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