The Steelers entire starting offensive line - whatever that is - sat out practice on Wednesday. We'll probably see several, if not most, of them return to practice today, but it's a troubling trend to have a line that is so banged up, especially considering what the Steelers have ahead of them.
The Steelers play three games in 11 days starting with Sunday's game against the Lions. That's a pretty quick turnaround by anyone's standards, especially in the middle of the season when they've already logged nine games - 13 if you count the preseason.
Of the injured linemen, I would expect Ramon Foster to be the only one who sits out this weekend with his high ankle sprain.
Everybody else returned on Thursday.
@ Pro Football Talk ran a blurb Wednesday with the headline "Roethlisberger keeps talking about how he doesn’t want to talk about trade rumor"
Perhaps the headline should have read, "Roethlisberger keeps being asked about trade rumor that everybody has already dismissed."
The accompanying story made light of the fact that Roethlisberger keeps saying he doesn't want to talk about the trade "rumor," but continues to do so.
What's he supposed to do when he's continually asked about it?
@ LaMarr Woodley and Brett Keisel were both still out of practice on Thursday, though I would expect both to try to play.
It's important for Keisel, in particular, to get back onto the field.
The Steelers will need him to help their run defense. The Lions have only allowed 10 sacks all season, so it's not like the pass rush and, in particular, Woodley, is going to get there a lot on Sunday anyway.
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau did say, however, that part of the reason for that is because Detroit QB Matthew Stafford has a tendency when pressured to just throw the ball up for grabs. When you've got a 6-5 receiver in Calvin Johnson and a 6-7 tight end in Joseph Fauria, you can do that.
@ We'll see if Detroit running back Reggie Bush gets on the Steelers' radar for this quote, "There have been some big lanes," when talking about the Pittsburgh run defense.
Those lanes have mostly happened in road games, where the Steelers are allowing 149.8 yards per game compared to the 99 per game they allow at home.
The Lions, by the way, average just 87.8 yards rushing in their road games and 21.8 point per game away from Ford Field.
Maybe Bush was talking about the Steelers practice, with the entire line sitting out.. LOL
ReplyDeleteThere has been lanes, thats pretty obvious.. How do you explain the rushing yardage that backs have gotten..
When will we see the entire line be made to wear knee braces? Sooner than later....
You don't usually hear opposing players be that honest. And, as I noted, the defensive issues have cropped up more on the road than at home.
ReplyDeleteAs for the knee braces, have the Steelers had major issues with knee injuries to their linemen? I don't think so. I can't think of any NFL team than mandates them.
didn't the colts mandate them when manning was still the QB?
ReplyDeleteGrammar can be a tricky thing for some bloggers, huh?
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