‘I will by no means be Antonio Brown’

PITTSBURGH — If Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey was once looking to get below JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s pores and skin prior to Sunday’s recreation, it did not paintings.

Ramsey advised journalists on Friday that the Steelers’ large receiver isn’t the similar as considered one of his former teammates.

“No disrespect to him, he isn’t Antonio Brown,” Ramsey mentioned. “I matched up with Antonio there for 2 years, and that was once a excellent fight, and I held my very own in the ones battles, and yeah, now I am going up in opposition to a special individual, other frame kind, other receiver a bit of bit. He could make performs.”

After beating the Los Angeles Rams 17-12 on Sunday, Smith-Schuster agreed.

“He is proper, despite the fact that,” Smith-Schuster mentioned. “I am not Antonio Brown. I will by no means be Antonio Brown. I’m myself. I am JuJu Smith-Schuster. I am not so good as him but. I feel I nonetheless have time to continue to get to his degree. However we are two completely other individuals.”

Guarded once in a while by way of Ramsey and different instances doubled, the third-year large receiver was once held to a few catches on six goals for 44 yards within the win.

“He talks so much,” Smith-Schuster mentioned of Ramsey. “He talks such a lot. He mentioned such a lot of cuss phrases I have by no means heard of, and I am 22 years outdated. He is a excellent participant, guy.

“It is a lot other than him being in Jacksonville, the place he is in a position to do no matter he desires. Over right here, he has to just about do what he is advised. He has to hear [Eric] Weddle. It is other. It is a nice revel in. I want we had extra balls thrown at us, however it is exhausting if you find yourself double-teamed.”

The eye Smith-Schuster attracted freed up different large receivers, together with James Washington and Diontae Johnson. Washington set a profession top with 90 receiving yards on six receptions and a landing, and Johnson had 4 catches for 64 yards.

“He is aware of that he is going to draw that spotlight, flies, going into the sport,” quarterback Mason Rudolph mentioned. “We take into account that anyone else goes to step up. Diontae’s been doing all of it yr for us. James has been coming alongside the ultimate couple video games and making some big-time conversion catches. I feel it simply permits us to have extra threats on the receiver place and perhaps now not let them double JuJu going ahead.”

Even with different receivers stepping up, Rudolph stated that obtaining Smith-Schuster extra concerned within the offense is a big precedence.

“Diontae, James and Vance [McDonald], the ones guys make numerous performs for us,” Rudolph mentioned. “If you are going to take two and canopy anyone, you have got to verify it is tight at the different finish. I feel that is going to assist us get the ball in 19’s arms. That is on the best of my to-do checklist each and every week.”