Haden’s task Sunday: Put clamps on Nelson
Receiver has had success against Steelers
Receiver Jordy Nelson has had a couple of glorious moments against the Steelers in his 10-year career. He also had his lowest moment.
The latter has nothing to do with facing them Sunday as a member of the Oakland Raiders, who signed him as a free agent in February and are tied for the worst record in the league.
Nelson spent his first nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers before signing with the Raiders, catching 550 passes for 7,848 yards and 69 touchdowns. He ranks third in receptions and fifth in receiving yards in fanchise history.
Nelson caught another 54 passes for 668 yards and five touchdowns in 13 playoff games — no performance bigger than when it mattered most against the Steelers.
“A true professional, a great leader, a great teammate,” said Steelers safety Morgan Burnett, who spent his first eight seasons in Green Bay as Nelson’s teammate. “I learned from watching guys like that, just the way he works behind the scenes. He’s not the type of guy who’s going to take a shortcut. He’s going to grind, work his butt off. That’s why he gets all the accomplishments because he puts the time in.”
Nelson was one of the stars when the Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl 45 in Arlington, Texas, 31-25, following the 2010 season. He caught nine passes for 140 yards that included a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 38yard catch-and-run that set up the Packers’ final touchdown.
Five years later, in an August preseason game at Heinz Field, Nelson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee when he slipped on the turf on the Packers’ opening possession. He was placed on injured reserve and missed the 2015 season.
He came back the following season and finished fifth in receptions (97) and receiving yards (1,257) and led the league with 14 touchdown catches.
With the Raiders, Nelson has not been the productive receiver he was with the Packers. He has 35 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns, but he caught 10 passes for 97 yards last week against the Kansas City Chiefs. That came after coach Jon Gruden issued a directive to quarterback Derek Carr to “get Jordy the ball.”
Cornerback Joe Haden, who has faced Nelson only once in his career, likely will draw the majority of the assignment in Oakland. Haden held Nelson to five catches for 42 yards and a 1-yard touchdown when they met in 2013 when Haden was with the Cleveland Browns.
“To me,he still looks good,” Burnett said. “I know people try to say he’s slowed down, but to me he looks good on film. Jordy always could run, and he still looks like he can run. he looks good on film to me. That’s one player I would not underestimate for sure.”
Despite the Raiders struggles, Carr is starting to look like he did in 2016 when the Raiders went 12-4 and he was being talked about as a possible league MVP candidate.
In his past seven games, he has thrown nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
He all but held up his end of a shootout with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes last week when he threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns and produced 33 points — the Raiders’ highest output since a Week 3 overtime victory against the Browns (45-42).
He will need to target Nelson more after the Raiders placed former Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant on injured reserve last week.
“They were in the game last week and in the game in a big way because of him,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “I think he’s a catalyst for a lot of positive things for them. I know there is not a lot of positivity when you won the number of games they’ve won. But being around Derek and getting to know him at the Pro Bowl, I think his play and his stats reflect his capabilities.”