CBS Broadcaster Simms: It's Going To Be A Different Feeling For Bell On Sunday
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan)- The Steelers ride a seven-game winning streak into their first round playoff matchup with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Pittsburgh is out for redemption from their 30-15 loss to the Dolphins in Miami back in Week 6, where Le'Veon Bell only had 10 carries for 53 yards and Ben Roethlisberger went down with a torn meniscus.
The NFL on CBS will be broadcasting Sunday's game at 1:05 p.m with Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely on the the crew. Simms joined the "Fan Morning Show" on Thursday to help preview the game.
First things first, Simms had not read the Sports Illustrated article by S.L Price that says Ben Roethlisberger is the "most polarizing player in American sports" and doesn't plan to.
"No, in my mind, it won't even occur to me to think that he's a polarizing figure," said Simms. "I'm not even going to bother reading it, because it just doesn't make sense, so that's all I can say to that."
Simms had some high praise from Ben Roethlisberger and says he is one of the best in the league.
"He's an unbelievable thrower of the ball, controls it, and what I mean "controls it" it doesn't get away from him and you don't see it slip out of his hand and go high and he can change speeds. When he needs to put some extra mustard on it, he can do it," said Simms. "I would say this year, without question, he is the most accurate deep-ball thrower I've seen in a long time. I mean he has unbelievable touch on his deep throws down the field."
Simms often meets with players and coaches of the game that he is calling for CBS beforehand. Simms couldn't disagree more with what Terry Bradshaw had to say about Mike Tomlin.
"He reminds me a lot of Bill Parcells but just a modern-day Bill Parcells," said Simms. "Behind the doors, he's tough on the players. He puts their feet to the fire, and when he walks into a room they sit up straight because they know what, that he's the man. He's not afraid to make tough decisions and I think all the players know that. We hear these stories all the time when we're around the Steelers, he'll openly just call out guys' names, 'hey whoever does this is going to be the starter and who doesn't is not going to start this week' these competitions. He has control of the football team, he manages it very well as far as the psychology of the players, where they're at, how to get them ready and I think that's his greatest attribute."
Simms also believes that the Steelers are probably the team in the AFC that gives the Patriots the toughest test in these playoffs.
"That's your first instinct is just to say the Steelers just because of their offense, they can go out there and score point-for-point with the New England Patriots and that's kind of how you have to look at it," said Simms. "Two of the funnest offenses I cover, without question, in the NFL, are those two."
Despite it being his fourth year in the league, running back Le'Veon Bell will experience his first playoff game Sunday against Miami, due to injuries in past seasons. Simms commented on what he may experience out there when he comes out on the field.
"When he runs out on that field on Sunday, it's going to be a whole different feeling than he's ever felt before," said Simms. "I tell people this all the time, I remember running out on field for my first playoff game as a New York Giant and as soon as I got out of that tunnel and got out on that field I went 'uh-oh, this is different.'" You can just feel the tension in the stadium already one hour before the game when you go out for that first warm-up. So that's really cool, its a great experience. All that does is just make you sharper physically, makes you get into the game you think and all that stuff so its going to be a great feeling for Le'Veon Bell."
You can hear the entire interview with Phil Simms on the Fan Morning Show here.
