50-YARD LINE

     Our Pittsburgh Pirates are off today but our Pittsburgh Steelers are hard at work on the gridiron of St Vincent College. The preseason kicks off this Sunday night as the Steelers face the Minny Vikes in the Hall of Fame game. The Steelers are also at Canton to help celebrate another member of the Black-N-Gold as RB Jerome Bettis is inducted into Canton's hallowed halls. To get you ready for the regular season, Mrs. Black-N-Gold takes a look at 7 Players to Watch as the Steelers pursue their 7th Lombardi Trophy.

1)RB Le'Veon Bell-Mrs Black-N-Gold is well aware that Bell was named AFC Co-Offensive Player of the Year last year as well as a Pro Bowler, the FedEx Ground Player of the Year and the team MVP. What else does Le'Veon have to prove? Why is he a Player to Watch? Mrs. Black-N-Gold is just concerned about the knee injury that #26 suffered at the end of last season, the injury that forced him to miss the Wild Card game against the Baltimorons. Mrs. Black-N-Gold wants to make sure Bell's knee is sound and our season is safe.

2)WR Markus Wheaton-Wheaton will be in the slot this year. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is anxious to see how Wheaton handles going over the middle. As the slot receiver, Wheaton will be counted on to help move the sticks on 3rd down. We know he has the speed to go down the seams. Does he have the mettle to go down the middle?

3)WR Martavis Bryant-Can Bryant avoid the sophomore slump and build off of his 8 TD receptions of last year? First, he's got to overcome an elbow injury that has him on the shelf. Mrs. Black-N-Gold would love to see some fades into the corner of the end zone to the 6' 4" Bryant this season.

4)LB Jarvis Jones-You really didn't expect Mrs. Black-N-Gold to ignore the defense, did you? Not likely, especially with the way the Steelers have drafted early and often on D the past few seasons. It will be this former #1 pick's 3rd season in Pittsburgh. Jones has been injured more often than not in his first 2 years. LB Coach Joey Porter has been working to get Jones ready. Either he's a bust or a beast. It's up to you, Jarvis.

5)LB Ryan Shazier-Shazier is another 1st round pick that needs to produce. He showed flashes in his rookie season last year, when he wasn't hurting. Shazier will be asked to man the inside 'backer position along with Lawrence Timmons. It's time for him to shine.

6)CB Cortez Allen-After the Steelers signed Allen to a long term deal before the start of last season, the corner proceeded to play his way out of the lineup. Allen was so ineffective he lost his starting job before finishing the year on IR. He's got to shake off last season's woes and have a short-term memory, no doubt about it. To borrow from the great Canadian philosopher Neil Young, Allen needs to become "Cortez the Killer".

7)S Shamarko Thomas-Thomas is another young defensive player who has spent the better part of his career in the trainer's room. Thomas needs to show why the Steelers traded up in the draft to get him back in 2013. True, it's hard to excel when a legend plays in front of you. No one is asking Shamarko to be the next Troy Polamalu. He just needs to be the best Shamarko Thomas he can be.

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold doesn't expect to see much of these players on Sunday. It's the first preseason game after all. What she does expect is to see them often on Sunday afternoons this fall. Making big plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!