Oct 15, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Players often talk about getting a golden opportunity to play.

For Steelers safety Robert Golden, every opportunity is, well, golden.

Golden will make his first career start at strong safety in place of injured veteran Will Allen when the Steelers (3-2) host the Arizona Cardinals at Heinz Field Sunday.

“I prepare to be ready to go in at free safety. I prepare to be ready to go in at strong safety,” Golden said. “Will Allen was playing. If he got hurt, I had to go in for him. If Mike Mitchell gets hurt, I have to go in for him. It’s not too much different preparing for this. I’m just preparing as the starter.”

Allen suffered a sprained ankle in the first quarter of last Monday night’s 24-20 victory at San Diego, giving Golden, a fourth-year player, the most extensive playing time of his career.

He responded with four tackles and a pass defense in the Steelers’ victory.

“I think I played decent,” said Golden. “At the end of the day, it’s all about wins and losses and we won the game.”

Golden is a popular guy in Pittsburgh’s locker room. The former standout at the University of Arizona has been voted special teams captain the last two seasons, a role he embraces.

That role was expected to continue this year heading into training camp, as Mitchell and Shamarko Thomas were penciled in as the starting safeties with Allen returning as the top backup at both spots.

But Thomas lost his starting job at strong safety to Allen at the end of training camp and Golden, who previously played only at free safety, was asked to be the top backup at both positions.

It was a big show of respect for Golden. For Allen, a 12-year veteran, knowing the requirements of both positions isn’t a big deal. To expect that out of a young player, however, is something different altogether.

“If I trusted anybody to be ready on this defense, it would be Robert,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler. “He studies the game. He works at his craft. He’s a very smart football player, very good at playing above the neck. He doesn’t get out of position a lot. I’m very comfortable with him.”

That was the issue the Steelers had with Thomas, a 2012 fourth-round draft pick. The coaching staff felt his knowledge of the game wasn’t on par with that of Allen.

They feel Golden posseses a similar style to Allen, something that’s a big deal for the former undrafted rookie.

“Yes it is,” Golden said. “I’ve been here for a while. They’ve seen what I can do in training camp and the preseason. I just want to make sure that they keep that trust in me this week.”

The Cardinals will present a unique challenge to Golden and Mitchell.

Arizona’s head coach, Bruce Arians, who was the Steelers’ offensive coordinator from 2007-11, utilizes many deep passes in his offense.

As a result, the Cardinals are averaging 13.7 yards per reception as a team – second only to Cincinnati – and quarterback Carson Palmer has 13 touchdown passes.

“They’ve got a great quarterback. Everything runs through him,” Golden said. “They try to air the ball out a lot. We’ve got to be able to get to the quarterback and match up.

“(Safety play) is important every week, but it’s very important this week. We’ve got to be on our Ps and Qs at all times.”

Center Maurkice Pouncey will reportedly see an ankle specialist in North Carolina next week to get a second opinion on his surgically repaired ankle. Pouncey was scheduled to return to practice next week but an infection set in and he had a metal plate removed, putting his return this season in jeopardy. Pouncey is currently on the injured reserve with a designation to return list after suffering an ankle and fibula injury Aug. 23 against Green Bay in a preseason game. … Allen was the only player who did not participate in practice in some form Thursday for the Steelers. … The NFL annoucned Thursday it suspended side judge Rob Vernatchi for one game for his failure to properly monitor the game clock in the Steelers’ win at San Diego. Eighteen seconds ticked off the clock late in the game when it should have been stopped.