PITTSBURGH -- The adjustment period was bumpy, filled with shaky hands, shoddy route running and Sammie Coates own admission that he wasnt in the shape he needed to be to play in the NFL.And if the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver is being honest, its not quite over even after the best day of his suddenly blossoming career.Coates understands that his 139-yard performance in Sundays 31-13 win over the New York Jets showcased both his immense potential and just how far he still has to go. Its why hes choosing to focus on the handful of drops rather than his video game-like burst from two Jets defenders that propelled him to the end zone for the first time on a 72-yard catch-and-run that made it seem like he was controlled by a 12-year-old furiously mashing the sprint button on his controller.The touchdown is just part of the game, Coates said. When you make mistakes, you dont care about the plays you make. You care about the ones you left on the field.There were a handful to choose from, including a slightly underthrown pass from Ben Roethlisberger near the New York goal line in the second quarter in which Coates adjusted perfectly, only to see the ball go right between his arms. Or maybe the flip in the second quarter that should have been the easiest 1-yard touchdown of Coates life and instead ended with him hanging his head in frustration when he failed to get the lob in.Its the kind of miscue that would have haunted Coates during his rookie year. Not anymore. When Roethlisberger approached Coates to give him a pep talk, he found Coates ready to beat him to the punch.He almost sought me out to come back to him and believe in him, Roethlisberger said. I said you dont have to tell me that. Im going to come back to you and believe in you and come back to you. It was good to see that growth.The kind the Steelers (4-1) desperately needed Coates to make over the summer with Martavis Bryant out for the season while serving a one-year suspension for violating the NFLs substance-abuse policy. All Coates has done over the first five weeks is average an NFL-best 22.1 yards per catch with at least one reception of 40-yards or more in each game, one short of the club-record streak Mike Wallace set in 2011.Coates is becoming the downfield threat Pittsburgh envisioned when it took him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. The Steelers were well aware of Coates issues with concentration, and he spent most of his rookie year inactive on Sundays as he struggled with consistency. Being healthy but unable to see the field wasnt exactly the way Coates envisioned life in the NFL.He arrived for camp well aware that Bryants absence left a noticeable void, one Coates spent training camp trying to prove to Roethlisberger he was ready to fill. Roethlisberger noticed the difference immediately and repaid Coates dedication with a vow to stick with him while Coates worked through the bumps Roethlisberger knew were going to come.Its why Roethlisberger kept going back to Coates on Sunday as part of Roethlisbergers plan to help Coates develop what the quarterback called the short-term memory necessary to survive.Thats the great thing about Ben, wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said. (Offensive coordinator) Todd (Haley) can call all the plays he wants, but Ben is in control of where the ball goes, and Ben kept feeding Sammie to let him know, `Hey, Im going to need you.Down near the goal line again in the fourth quarter and looking for a knockout blow, Roethlisberger found Coates on a crossing pattern that ended with Coates holding on for his second touchdown of the day. Remarkable considering Coates played the second half with stitches in between the index and middle fingers of his left hand, and Roethlisberger isnt exactly known for lobbing it near the end zone.I had to finish what I started, Coates said. I had to make up my errors. I felt like I had to play.The pain came later. Coates sported a splint on his left hand in the locker room and didnt practice Wednesday, leaving his status for Sundays visit to Miami (1-4) uncertain. Whenever hes available, he gives Pittsburgh a dimension that forces opponents to make an increasingly difficult decision on whether to double-team All-Pro Antonio Brown.With AB on the field, you know they got to watch him, Coates said. The defense, they got a lot to worry about with our offense. With the players we got around the ball, its hard to stop it.Including the wide receiver quickly growing up on the job.Game notes The Steelers signed RB Karlos Williams (younger brother of LB Vince Williams) to the practice squad. ... RT Marcus Gilbert (ankle), LB Ryan Shazier (knee) and WR Markus Wheaton (shoulder) did not practice Wednesday. ... CB Justin Gilbert (knee), S Robert Golden (hamstring), RB Roosevelt Nix (back) and WR Eli Rogers (toe) were full participants.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Adrian Wilson Womens Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Adrian Wilson Cardinals Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/ . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Pat Tillman Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Adrian Wilson Youth Jersey . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Nick Saban is on the verge of another milestone victory, another number that shows just how dominant his teams have been at Alabama.A victory by the Crimson Tide against Mississippi State on Saturday in Tuscaloosa would be Sabans 40th when Alabama is ranked No. 1, matching Bobby Bowden and Woody Hayes for the most wins coaching an AP No. 1 team.Saban is currently 39-5 in games when the Tide is No. 1. Bowden was 40-5 with Florida State as No. 1. Hayes went 40-6 with Ohio State. The difference? Bowden coached Florida State for 34 seasons. Hayes was at Ohio State for 28 years. Saban is in his 10th season with the Crimson Tide.Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in 33 percent of its 132 games coached by Saban. Florida State was No. 1 in 10.8 percent of the 417 games Bowden coaches. Ohio State was No. 1 in 16.7 percent of the 276 games Hayes coached.One more note on Alabama: The Crimson Tides game against Mississippi State will be its first against an unranked opponent since Oct. 1 versus Kentucky. Alabama became just the third top-ranked team to play and win four consecutive games against ranked opponents when it beat LSU last week.In 1943, No. 1 Notre Dame played ranked opponents in four straight games and beat them all. In 2001, No. 1 Miami had a four-game winning streak against ranked opponents over a five-week span that included an open date.The picks:THURSDAY NIGHT THROWDOWNSNo. 15 North Carolina (minus 10+) at DukeThe Blue Devils need to win out to reach six wins and bowl eligibility, but the path is tough (at Pitt and at Miami after this week) ... NORTH CAROLINA 38-30.No. 13 Utah (minus 5) at Arizona StateThe Utes hoped QB Troy Williams would give them more offensive balance this season, but he is ninth in the Pac-12 in passer efficiency rating (123.19) and has thrown only nine TD passes ... UTAH 24-21.FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTSBoston College (plus 21) at No. 20 Florida StateJust when it looked as if Seminoles RB Dalvin Cook was going to make a late Heisman push, he ran for 65 yards on 18 carries last week against N.C. State ... FLORIDA STATE 38-10, BEST BET.PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONSMississippi State (plus 30) at No. 1 AlabamaMatchup of the top two rushing quarterbacks in the SEC; the Bulldogs Nick Fitzgerald has 839 yards and eight touchdowns and the Tides Jalen Hurts has 635 yards and 10 scores. .... ALABAMA 35-14.No. 2 Michigan (minus 22) at IowaThe Wolverines first road game against a team with a conference victory ... MICHIGAN 31-13.Pittsburgh (plus 21) at No. 3 ClemsonThe Panthers pass defense has been a major issue all season -- and now here comes Deshaun Watson ... CLEMSON 42-17.Southern California (plus 9) at No. 4 WashingtonThe Trojans have won five straight since a tough start to the season and have scored at least 41 points in four of the games ... WASHINGTON 35-28.Wake Forest (plus 34+) at No. 5 LouisvilleCardinals QB Lamar Jackson is 247 yards passing away from becoming the eighth FBS player with at least 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing ... LOUISVILLE 45-7.No. 6 Ohio State (minus 29) at MarylandThe Terps are coming off a blowout at Michigan and it is unclear how much QB Perry Hills (shoulder) will be able to play ... OHIO STATE 42-17.CONFERENCE CALLSIllinois (plus 266) at No.dddddddddddd. 7 WisconsinThe Badgers have allowed five touchdown passes, tied for the second fewest in the FBS ... WISCONSIN 31-7.No. 8 Auburn (minus 10+) at GeorgiaNo SEC team throws fewer passes per game than Auburn at 22.3 ... AUBURN 28-20.No. 25 Baylor (plus 15) at No. 9 OklahomaThe Bears are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2012 ... OKLAHOMA 52-28.Mississippi (plus 10) at No. 10 Texas A&MMatchup of backup quarterbacks after injuries ... TEXAS A&M 35-23.No. 11 West Virginia (plus 2) at TexasThe Longhorns have the second most rushing touchdowns in the Big 12 with 24; the Mountaineers have allowed the fewest rushing TDs in the Big 12 with seven ... TEXAS 31-27.No. 12 Penn State (minus 7) at IndianaThe Hoosiers are 1-18 against the Nittany Lions since Penn State joined the Big Ten ... INDIANA 28-24.No. 16 Colorado (minus 16) at ArizonaThe Wildcats have lost six straight and havent lost seven in a row since 2004 ... COLORADO 31-13.Texas Tech (plus 13) at No. 17 Oklahoma StateBetter budget some time for this one: Red Raiders QB Patrick Mahomes and Cowboys QB Mason Rudolph combine to average 764 yards passing per game ... OKLAHOMA STATE 49-35.Georgia Tech (plus 15) at No. 18 Virginia TechSeven of the last eight meetings have been one-score games, and the Hokies have won five of them ... VIRGINIA TECH 28-21.No. 19 LSU (minus 3) at ArkansasAfter facing Alabama, Leonard Fournette gets a crack at the worst run defense in the SEC ... LSU 33-24.Minnesota (plus 8) at No. 21 NebraskaThe Cornhuskers are hoping to get QB Tommy Armstrong (concussion) back for what amounts to an elimination game in the Big Ten West ... MINNESOTA 27-23, UPSET SPECIAL.South Carolina (plus 11+) at No. 22 FloridaThe Gamecocks could win the SEC East at 4-4 with some help ... SOUTH CAROLINA 17-14.California (plus 15) at No. 23 Washington StateThe Bears have won 10 of 11 meetings ... WASHINGTON STATE 52-21.No. 24 Boise State (minus 17+) at HawaiiThe Broncos have won the last five meetings by a combined 45-7 ... BOISE STATE 35-14.TWITTER REQUESTSAppalachian State (plus 1) at Troy (at)matthewepleyTwo of the three Sun Belt teams, along with Arkansas State, that are undefeated in conference ... APPALACHIAN STATE 27-24.Kentucky (plus 13+) at Tennessee -- (at)WClark840WHASInstead of trying to determine a winner in the SEC East, maybe they should all join forces to face the West champion in Atlanta ... TENNESSEE 27-21.Rutgers (plus 13+) at Michigan State -- (at)jamdraperAn unexpected battle for last place in the Big Ten East. At least it was unexpected for the Spartans ... MICHIGAN STATE 28-14.Stanford (minus 3) at Oregon -- (at)sylviosoThe Cardinal and Ducks have combined to win the last seven Pac-12 championships, but this years meeting is mostly about whether Oregon coach Mark Helfrich can manage to keep his job ... STANFORD 37-33.---Record: Last week 20-5 straight; 10-15 vs. points.Season: 149-57; 93-108-3.Upset specials: 3-7.Best bets: 1-9.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---APs college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '