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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Sandy's aftermath no concern for Tomlin

By: Will Graves

Posted: 10/31/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Mike Tomlin (CP)

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin is too preoccupied with finding ways to stop Eli Manning to worry whether the aftermath of superstorm Sandy will affect Sunday's game in New York against the defending Super Bowl champion Giants.

"I'm simply focused on the things that are in our control," the Pittsburgh Steelers coach said Tuesday.

Even with the Sandy cleanup just getting underway, the Steelers anticipate there being no changes to Sunday's scheduled 4:25 p.m. kickoff.

"We're going to proceed with the plans and continue to do so until we hear otherwise," Tomlin said.

Pittsburgh's preparation will not include safety Troy Polamalu, who will miss his third straight game and fifth overall this season due to a strained right calf. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert will also sit out while recovering from a right ankle injury.

The status of safety Ryan Clark and linebacker LaMarr Woodley is a bit more optimistic. Clark left last week's 27-12 win over Washington after sustaining a concussion in the third quarter while Woodley's right hamstring tightened up late in the game.

Tomlin said Clark's status hasn't changed since Sunday but he will be monitored throughout the week before a decision is made. Woodley will be limited early in the week, as will Jonathan Dwyer.

The third-year running back is coming off consecutive 100-yard performances but left the Washington game in the final minutes with a right quad injury. Dwyer will not practise today but Tomlin expects Dwyer to participate at some point this week.

Running backs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles) and Isaac Redman (ankle) have both missed the last two games, though there's a chance each could return in New York. Mendenhall will begin individual workouts today while Redman should be in pads.

Though the Steelers (4-3) have won two straight to climb back into the mix in the muddled AFC, Tomlin refuses to get ahead of himself, saying only his club is heading in the right direction.

Pittsburgh certainly looked impressive while stomping the Redskins, hardly resembling the unit that stumbled in early season road losses to Oakland and Tennessee.

"Obviously, we didn't get off to a great start," he said. "The last couple of weeks, we've taken steps to rectify that."

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 31, 2012 C4

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