Miller emerges as key to offense

The rookie tight end already has four touchdowns.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- That new wrinkle in the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense isn't that Ben Roethlisberger is throwing about as many passes a game as Peyton Manning sometimes throws in a quarter. Rather, it is who is on the receiving end of the few passes Roethlisberger does throw.
For the first time since the Eric Green days of the early 1990s, the tight end is more than just a sixth offensive lineman in the Steelers' offense -- someone who throws a lot of blocks in his running game but is rarely on the receiving end of throws.
Rookie tight end Heath Miller has a touchdown catch in three consecutive games and, with four touchdowns, is tied with Mike Sellers of Washington and Randy McMichael of Miami for the NFL lead among tight ends. With 16 catches in seven games, Miller has as many receptions as a Pittsburgh tight end normally makes in two seasons.
A year ago, starter Jerame Tuman was such a non-factor as a receiver that he made only nine catches all season, thus allowing opposing defenses to all but ignore him downfield. They can't do that with the 6-foot-5, 256-pound Miller, who is too fast and tall to be regularly covered downfield by linebackers but whose strength can overmatch safeties at the line of scrimmage on running plays.
To coach Bill Cowher, Miller is ideal for a Steelers offense that required Roethlisberger to throw only 14 times in a 27-13 victory Sunday in Cincinnati, completing nine passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Miller made six of the nine catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
With four touchdowns, Miller has only one fewer than three of the league's top tight ends combined-- San Diego's Antonio Gates (3 TDs), Baltimore's Todd Heap (2 TDs) and Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez (no touchdowns).
"I think the one thing our guy does a pretty good job of compared to those other guys is he's a pretty good blocker," Cowher said. "I think he's a better blocker than those guys."
College career
Miller was chosen as college football's top tight end last season at Virginia because of his receiving skills, but the former high school quarterback said his blocking has improved every year. The first-round draft pick knew blocking would be a priority in a Steelers offense that ran the ball more last season, on a percentage basis, than any NFL team in the last 20 years.
This season, the Steelers' 128 passing attempts are the fewest in the league.
"I know our offensive philosophy is to run first, and to be on the field you're going to have to be a good blocker, so that's something I take to heart and work on each and every week," Miller said Wednesday.
When he is used as a receiver, Miller isn't making only 8- and 10-yard receptions. He has catches of 20, 21, 27 and 25 yards the last two games, providing a downfield threat the Steelers lost when wide receiver Plaxico Burress signed with the Giants during the offseason.
Having Miller also means the Steelers (4-2) no longer go into games against the division rival Ravens (2-4), including Monday night's game at Heinz Field, without a tight end receiving threat to match the 6-foot-5, 252-pound Heap, who has 28 catches for 337 yards.
"[Heap's] definitely one of the best tight ends in the league and has been for a while. I think all tight ends look to him to learn a little bit because obviously he's doing something really well," Miller said. "They use him a lot, they move him all around and he splits out sometimes, and he really adds pressure to defenses the way he's able to catch the ball."
Or, what Miller is beginning to do after being the No. 30 overall pick in the April draft. He has led the Steelers in receptions each of their last two games, and is having the best season by a Steelers rookie tight end since Green had seven touchdowns among his 34 catches in 1990.