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PITTSBURGH -- The training wheels are off for Bud Dupree. Finally.The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker heads into Sundays game against the New York Giants without any limitations, ending a patience-testing stretch in which the 2015 first-round pick missed training camp then underwent sports hernia surgery before beginning the arduous process of getting back into what coach Mike Tomlin calls football shape.The initial step came against Cleveland two weeks ago, when Dupree made it on the field for a single snap. The next came on Thanksgiving in Indianapolis, where Dupree picked up his first two tackles in nearly 11 months in a 28-7 victory. Dupree was in the huddle for 20 plays against the Colts, enough to unleash weeks of pent up adrenaline. And almost enough for Dupree to start lobbying defensive coordinator Keith Butler and outside linebackers coach Joey Porter for more playing time.I will but I try not to because I dont want to get on their nerves, Dupree said with a laugh. Some people do it. Some people dont. I just dont get into it. Im right beside (the coaches). If they put me in, they put me in.And theyre most certainly going to put Dupree in against the surging Giants (8-3), who have only surrendered 13 sacks all season. Pittsburgh needs to make Eli Manning uncomfortable if it wants to end New Yorks six-game winning streak, something the Steelers have struggled to do against good teams this season. Only nine of Pittsburghs 24 sacks have come against teams with winning records.We want to get to the quarterback, Dupree said.Duprees return should help. He finished with four sacks as a rookie last fall, though all of them came over the first half of the season. He trimmed 20 pounds off his 6-foot-4 frame last spring and while he believes the hernia wasnt a result of trying to cut weight, he admits he was diagnosed after working out too much.Whatever the cause, Dupree insists its behind him and in a way, hes relieved. Doctors told him the injury was bound to happen at some point. By taking care of it now, hes optimistic it wont come back to haunt him in the future. Either way, hes encouraged with the added explosiveness. Hes not the only one.Hes moving good, Butler said. Is he moving faster? How fast you are only matters when youre playing on the field. So how fast does he play? He played at a pretty good pace the other night. So well see if he continues to get better.Tomlin saw enough to lock Dupree into the four-man rotation at outside linebacker alongside seemingly ageless James Harrison, leaving Jarvis Jones, Anthony Chickillo or Arthur Moats as the odd man out.As Bud gets up to speed, somebodys going to win, somebodys going to lose, Tomlin said. I dont care who wins. I think we all win if we play the hot hand and those are our intentions.Its a spot Dupree is thankful to be in after being placed on injured reserve at the end of training camp and enduring a setback early in his rehab that threatened his entire season. It was the first time in his football life hed been forced to sit and watch for an extended period of time. And it wasnt fun.I just tried to stay positive, he said. But was it easy? No, it wasnt.Dupree buried himself in the film room, and Butler believes the mental reps have allowed Dupree to quickly rise back up the depth chart. The goal now is to stay there. The way the Steelers move guys in and out of the lineup, he doesnt need to be ready for 60 snaps. If hes fresh for 40 or so, he thinks that will be enough to make an impact. Hes not as big as he was a year ago. Thats not necessarily a bad thing.Its not about that, Dupree said. Its about being flexible, being bendable, being loose. I just want to go out there and ball.Game notes G David DeCastro (ill), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot) and RB D. Williams (knee) did not practice Wednesday. ... TE Xavier Grimble (quadriceps), S Shamarko Thomas (groin) were full participants.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Michael Irvin Jersey .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Darren Woodson Womens Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. http://www.cowboysfootballgearshop.com/bob-lilly-jersey/ .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Taco Charlton Jersey . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Randall Cobb Womens Jersey . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.LONG POND, Pa. -- Danica Patrick left the bumpy ride with boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on the track. The relationship is still smooth sailing at home. Patrick says there were some "silent moments" on the way home from Sundays Coca-Cola 600 after Stenhouse drove his car into the side of his girlfriends car and ended her race. Itt was the first run-in for the NASCAR rookies since they announced in February they were dating.dddddddddddd Patrick says it was impossible to stay quiet for too long since they shared a ride home. She says "were fine." Patrick participated Wednesday in the Stewart-Haas Racing testing session at Pocono Raceway. ' ' '