Nov 22, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – The Steelers return to work today with one thing in mind – beat the Seattle Seahawks.

For wide receiver Antonio Brown, that means making the most of a potential matchup with Seattle’s All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.

Get out the popcorn and settle in. It promises to be a heck of a show.

While Sherman is one of the league’s best-known smack talkers – witness his intense post-game interview following Seattle’s win over San Francisco in the NFC Championship game two years ago – Brown simply and quietly goes about his business.

Sure, he might celebrate a touchdown with a front flip into the end zone or a dance, but Brown doesn’t spend a lot of time talking to opponents.

“My actions will speak more than my words. That’s always got to be the motto,” said Brown.

His actions the past three seasons have been louder than a sonic boom.

Brown has had back-to-back 100-catch seasons, including a team-record 129 last season, the second-best total in NFL history. He has an AFC-best 79 receptions this year, putting him on pace to easily surpass 100 for a third consecutive season.

Brown’s 1,141 receiving yards for the 6-4 Steelers is the third-best total through 10 games in league history. Atlanta’s Julio Jones had 160 yards Sunday to push his total to 1,189, while Isaac Bruce had 1,183 yards in 1995. Bruce finished with 1,781, the third-most in league history.

With six games remaining, Brown will top 500 career receptions this season. He currently has 469.

And at 27 years old, it’s not beyond the realm of possibilities that he can challenge Jerry Rice’s all-time receptions record of 1,549.

Rice played until he was 42. With the way Brown trains and takes care of his body, it’s not unrealistic to think Brown could play into his late 30s, at the very least.

“It’s hard for him to do anything anymore that we shake our heads about,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said of the six-year wide receiver. “The biggest thing that makes me in awe is when he does something like drops a ball. That’s a bigger deal more than making a great catch.”

Just imagine what Brown would be doing this season if Roethlisberger hadn’t missed four full games and parts of three others with knee and foot injuries.

In the games Roethlisberger has played at least a half, Brown has 62 receptions for 898 yards and five touchdowns. That would have put him on pace for 165 catches and 2,395 yards, both totals would shattered NFL records.

In the four games Roethlisberger didn’t play at all, Brown had 17 receptions for 225 yards and no scores.

“He’s an extremely talented guy who’s worked really hard to be ready to go,” said Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley. “He obviously can’t control all of the variables, but I think it’s a testament to him, his ability and our ability to move him around.”

That ability to play Brown anywhere on the field could make things interesting against Sherman.

While Sherman didn’t follow the opponent’s best receiver all over the field in previosu years, he has been asked to do that this season. It hasn’t always worked. Green Bay’s Randall Cobb and Arizona’s duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd all have had at least 100 yards against Seattle.

“Individual matchups really mean nothing,” said Brown. “I know each week I’m going to get the other team’s best guy. It’s all about me being in good position and being my best. Obviously, he’s a great cornerback. It should be a great matchup.

“That’s the NFL. Guys want to compete. They want to compete against the best guys. Richard Sherman is one of the top guys at the corner position. I’m one of the top guys at the receiver position. Those are the kind of matchups you want.”

The Steelers return to practice today after being off since Wednesday. … If Brown gets to 500 career receptions this season, he and tight end Heath Miller, who has 566 catches, will be on the only active duo in the NFL with more than 500.