Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Cheers Antonio Brown; Brandon Boykin, Cortez Allen debut Ross Cockrell

By Mitch de Leon
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger expects NFL team starters to play once or twice throughout the NFL preseason. Wikimedia Commons/SteelCityHobbies

The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with their devastating loss to the New England Patriots in Week 1 of the regular NFL season by serving a crushing defeat to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 last Sunday (September 20), which saw Ben Roethlisberger and his crew demolish Jarryd Hayne's squad with a 43 - 18 win. The San Francisco 49ers went in the match sans running back Reggie Bush and Bruce Ellington.

Due to the absence of Reggie Bush, fans and followers of the San Francisco 49ers expected former rugby star player Jarryd Hayne to step up and show off his skills in the field. The Australian player's performance, however, fell short and the San Francisco 49ers scrambled to fight back against the raging Pittsburgh Steelers but to no avail.

One of the most notable NFL stars who made heads turned was Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. The match against the San Francisco 49ers saw Antonio Brown tie the record of Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow, Sr. at 72 games, according to ESPN. The Pittsburgh Steelers star achieved a record of 400 catches - a feat that ranked him as the third fastest NFL star in history. Dubbed by ben Roethlisberger as the "best wide receiver," the accolades Antonio Brown have under his belt include being awarded as the NFL leader in catches and receiving yards during the 2014 season and getting included as one of the All-Pro athletes.

"He's awesome," described Ben Roethlisberger. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback added, "I don't know what else to say." The same sentiments were echoed by former New York Jets star Michael Vick. He said, "Oh, he's a freak of nature. But what I'll point to is him being on the same page as Ben, him knowing all those different details just like his quarterback." The Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback added, "Yeah, he's gifted. But the athletic aspect of what he does every week comes out because of that work he puts in." Despite the notable record he achieved, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver believes he can still improve on his performance. Immediately following the game that shamed the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, Antonio Brown shared that he feels he "can be better."

Meanwhile, the match against the San Francisco 49ers saw the official debut of rookie cornerback Ross Cockrell. The entrance of the former Buffalo Bills star to the starting line is a result of the injuries incurred by veteran cornerback Brandon Boykin and Cortez Allen. "My role is to serve this defense as best I can," shared Ross Cockrell in an interview with Ralph Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The rookie CB added, "We'll see what that turns out to be, but I'm prepared for everything. They don't bring you on the team unless you're ready to play."

Week 3 of the NFL regular season will see the Pittsburgh Steelers face off against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday (September 27), 1:00 pm ET, at the Edward Jones Dome.

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