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Steelers: Big Ben calls out Martavis Bryant

By Tim Weaver

Dec 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals free safety Reggie Nelson (20) intercepts a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) in the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Steelers won 33-20. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals free safety Reggie Nelson (20) intercepts a pass intended for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant (10) in the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Steelers won 33-20. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to advance past the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend in their wild card matchup, they’re going to need Martavis Bryant to step up.

Bryant has an incredible combination of speed, size, strength and athleticism that has turned him into one of the NFL’s best young wide receivers.

He still has a lot to learn though, and on a couple of occassions he has let his team down. For one, Bryant missed the first four games of the 2015 season thanks to a positive drug test (one of the big reasons he fell as far as he did in the draft was questions about his marijuana habit) and he’s also not been a factor in several games this year.

Bryant has not scored a touchdown in a month and over the Steelers’ last two games he has completely disappeared. During that stretch Bryant has caught only one pass for six yards. To be fair, his targets have dropped significantly, but part of that is due to Bryant’s inability to get open.

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Now his quarterback is calling him out publicly. Speaking in his weekly radio interview on 97.5 The Fan, Ben Roethlisberger said that Bryant needs to toughen up and find a way to produce. Here’s what he had to say, Per Pro Football Talk:

“He needs to understand that…at this time of year you have to toughen up. You have to make tough plays, you have to make tough catches and you have to find ways to do everything you can to help this team.”

That may sound harsh but Big Ben is right that Bryant has to get back into the game.

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Martavis Bryant has not done much in his two games this year against the Bengals, either. Both in November and December he managed just 49 yards and did not score a touchdown.

With Bryant missing in action, over the last few weeks Pittsburgh’s offense has become too reliant on Antonio Brown. If that continues to be the case Cincinnati’s defense might come away with a key turnover that could swing the game.

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