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PITTSBURGH -- A year ago, Ross Cockrell wasnt ready to stand across the line of scrimmage from one of the NFLs best receivers and more than hold his own.It wasnt so much about confidence or ability, but knowledge. The cornerback needed time to adjust after getting cut by the Buffalo Bills and picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers at the end of the 2015 preseason.Yet there he was on Sunday, shadowing Cincinnatis A.J. Green all over the field in Pittsburghs 24-16 victory, playing a vital role in a game plan that limited Green to just two receptions for 39 yards and shutting him out completely in the second half.Theres been a lot of growth and development in my game, Cockrell said. A lot of it is being around these guys, getting to know them. Last year it was just kind of plug and play.With mixed results. The Steelers went 11-7 and posted a significant uptick in sacks and turnovers created in 2015 but also finished 30th in passing yards allowed. Pittsburgh invested heavily in the secondary during the draft -- taking cornerback Artie Burns in the first round and safety Sean Davis in the second -- and while the box score doesnt look that impressive (the Steelers are 31st against the pass through two weeks) all those yards have only translated into two touchdowns allowed during a 2-0 start.Theyve largely kept the ball in front, Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. Theyve particularly been stout when the field gets short and good on possession downs. Those are the things that define a secondary and particularly, define a defense. But, theres more plays out there for us.Tomlin pointed specifically to instances where a defensive back managed to get his hand on the ball but failed to bring it in for an interception. Those concerns, however, are nitpicky at best.Though Dalton passed for 366 yards, most of them were check downs to running backs and tight ends as Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler disguised coverages and seemed to throw Dalton off by having Cockrell trail Green, a departure from last season where cornerbacks largely stuck to one side of the field regardless of the matchup.Were doing a lot of things differently defensively, Cockrell said. Its one of the most complex things Ive seen.Some things, however, remain basic. One of the biggest reasons Cincinnati went just 4 of 16 on third downs despite Dalton getting sacked just once (on a play that technically was a scramble for no gain) is because when Dalton dumped the ball off, the Steelers swarmed immediately.Thats just how their defense plays, Dalton said. They let the guy catch it and tackle. They are really sound on the way they play defense. They have done a good job with that.Everyone got in on the act. Burns knocked away a Dalton pass to Brandon LaFell in the end zone. Safety Robert Golden picked up a Tyler Boyd fumble caused by linebacker James Harrison -- judiciously dropped into coverage at times in addition to rushing the passer -- in the final 2 minutes to seal it. Safety Mike Mitchell sent a message early with hard but legal hits to Bengals when they came over the middle.Cockrell did his part too. While making it a point not to disparage the Bills, its obvious hes found a place to call home in Pittsburgh.Its a good culture, a good atmosphere, Cockrell said. You realize theres only one goal and everybody works toward that goal.The young guys included. Burns has rebounded quickly after spending most of training camp dealing with a quad injury. Davis can roam from nickelback to safety depending on the situation and the scheme. Most importantly, theyre absorbing as much as they can.What theyre learning now is the discipline it takes to perform at this level, Cockrell said. Its an important lesson to learn early on.Game notes Tomlin said Tuesday WR Markus Wheaton (shoulder) will practice this week and could be available on Sunday in Philadelphia. Wheaton practiced last week but was held out of the lineup for a second straight week.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Shoes Nz . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Cheap Shoes Nz Online . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. 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PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has recovered from foot injuries and should be ready to play when the team opens training camp in two weeks.Embiid, the No. 3 pick in the 2014 draft, has yet to make his NBA debut because of two surgeries on his right foot that stunted his progress and put a serious crimp in Philadelphias rebuilding process.Coach Brett Brown said Embiid, a 7-foot center out of Kansas, will play this season with yet-to-be-determined restrictions to ease him into the NBA. One such condition could include holding him out on the second night of back-to-back games.Embiid, 22, has wowed the organization in private workouts since the end of last season and his potential has Brown excited that the Sixers -- coming off a 10-win season -- have found their cornerstone center.He needs to be the crown jewel, the centerpiece of our defense, Brown said.Embiid broke his right foot during a pre-draft workout in 2014 and sat out last season when he needed a second surgery because the foot had not healed. Because of his injury history, Brown said Thursday he could not say for certain that Embiid would start opening night Oct. 26 against Oklahoma City.The Sixers open training camp Sept. 27.Joel is on track to play, Brown said Thursday. We will learn more about the restrictions that will come his way. What I see so far gives us great reasoon to be extremely excited.ddddddddddddEmbiid has played very little competitive basketball in his life and has been inactive since the end of his lone season at KU. He grew up playing soccer and volleyball, and only decided to pursue basketball at the end of high school. He started to blossom as a senior at The Rock School and ultimately chose to attend Kansas, where he arrived with less fanfare than fellow freshmen Andrew Wiggins and Wayne Selden.Embiid hurt his back while landing awkwardly during a game late in the season, and missed the Jayhawks final two regular-season games and the Big 12 tournament. He also missed a victory over Eastern Kentucky and a season-ending loss to Stanford in the NCAA tournament, after which he said that he would have been able to play had Kansas advanced to the second weekend.Everyone is still waiting for his return.I think that the path has unfolded, sort of organically, with the injury, then the setback and now here he is. I think we could look back and say in an inverted, twisted type way, it has provided him a layer of growth, Brown said. I think he sees the world a little bit differently in relation to taking things far more seriously professionally. I see a more mature Joel Embiid today. ' ' '