South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Allen impresses Steelers coaches
Marcus Allen may or may not be asked to make his secondcareerNFLstartMonday. But coaches are saying good things about his performance in his first for the Steelers.
“Can’t say enough,” head coach Mike Tomlin said, “about a guy likeMarcus Allen, who’s new to the position, who’s new to the number of snaps he had and getting the type of effort thatwe got fromhim.”
TheSteelershadnochoice but to turn to Allen to start alongsideAveryWilliamson as the primary inside linebackers deployedduringSunday’s roadgameat theBills.
A safety by trade who was moved to the linebackers position roominAugust, Allen started inplace ofVince Williams, who after an apparent positive coronavirus testwas on the reserve/covid-19 list.
The Steelers also are down Devin Bush (torn ACL) and Robert Spillance (knee) at the position, meaning Allen’s status as theNo. 5 option at inside linebacker still lefthimas being countedonto play75% of the defensive snaps againstBuffalo.
Allen was second on the team in tackles with eight (five solo, onefor loss). According to ProFootballFocus, Allen had oneQBhurry, one missed tackle and allowed two catches for eight yards while in coverage against the Bills.
“He does a good job for us,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “He’s does what we ask him to do. He will get betterwith time because it will be easier for himmentally inthethingswe askhimtodo. He’llknow whatwe expect of him a little bitmore. He’s got to put that time in it to determine if he’s a better linebacker or a better defensive back.”
Butler would not commit to Allen’s position switch being permanent, noting that Allen at 205 pounds is a “tweener.”
“He’s having to play that linebacker position right now, andthat doesn’t concernmebecausehe is aphysicalguy,” Fichtnersaid. “He likes tohit. He runsverywell. Thethinghehas todoismake sureheknowswhathe is doing in terms of possibilities mentally. I think at times hecan get lost a little bit, but for themostpartheknows what he is doing.
“There are just a couple little things that give him problems sometimes. I’m pleased with his progress. I think he’s going to be a good player for us.”
A four-year starter at strong safety for Penn State, Allenwas a 2018 fifth-roundpickwhoappearedin only three regular-season games his first two seasons. He entered Sunday with 78 defense snaps for his career. Allen even spent a large portion of last season on the practice squad, but he has appeared in all 12 games in 2020, appearing in almost half of the Steelers’ specialteamssnapsandplaying at least someondefense during each of the past seven games.