Dunlap: What's Up With Brandon Boykin?
So we got us a controversy in Stillerville.
Awesome stuff for my industry; not the best thing for business if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Monday afternoon, Steelers cornerback Brandon Boykin --- who didn't get on the field in Thursday night's defeat against the New England Patriots --- made it known he is as puzzled as anyone as to why his number wasn't called.
Mark Kaboly, who covers the team for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweeted: "Boykin said he has no idea why he isn't playing. Said if continues he will ask why"
Whhhhhaaaammmmmmmmm!
That sound you just heard was a disgruntled --- to some degree --- player firing a salvo through the media at the coaching staff and making his true feelings known.
Oh man, this has a chance to get good. This has a chance to get really good.
If it's between Week 1 and Week 2 and guys are already yakking about playing time to the media, there has to be some sort of disconnect happening.
But, in all sincerity, doesn't Boykin have a bit of a point here?
You see, Pats quarterback Tom Brady torched the Steelers on 25 for 32 passing for 288 yards and four touchdowns --- three to titanic tight end Rob Gronkowski --- as he picked apart the Steelers' secondary with uncanny composure and aplomb.
Of the four cornerbacks active for the game, Boykin was the lone one who didn't log a snap, with William Gay, Cortez Allen and Antwon Blake playing the entirety of the game in which the secondary --- as a whole --- looked sluggish, frazzled and were regularly beaten.
So can anyone find an enthralling reason why Boykin didn't so much as get one snap against the Patriots? I know I can't.
At some point, he was worth a shot, right? That's the way I think and reading his comments, that seems to be in accordance with what he is thinking, too.
After all, this is a guy who the Steelers traded a fifth-round pick for (it could become a fourth-round selection) in the early stages of camp when it became glaringly obvious of the dire need the team had in the back end of the defense.
But here we sit as the Steelers get ready for Week 2 and Boykin is coming off a game in which he truly and literally got no shot.
It's all so puzzling.
It is also a case where, in a way, I'm glad he spoke up to the media because he probably feels as if he can make a difference or, at the very least, is ultra-confident in his abilities.
For what it is worth, Boykin confirmed to other reporters he was the Steelers' nickel back in practice on Monday and expects to play this coming week against the San Francisco 49ers.
That's nice and all, but didn't he "expect" to play in the opener some as well?
We will see what happens, see how this all plays out.
Albeit it isn't seismic, we indeed have us a controversy in Stillerville.
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.
