Reading the tea leaves this week with the inactive list is a little bit easier with injuries and who looks like they might be coming back from the injury list. The only real question mark on this guess list for Sunday night is if the Steelers choose to dress 8 offensive linemen again or not with Matt Spaeth down. If he does dress Tony Hills as the 8th like he did last week, that means that rookie receiver Antonio Brown will in all likelihood be down again. Below are the eight players we expect to see on the Steelers inactive list released 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Once again, 6 of these 8 are near locks.
QB Charlie Batch – Mike Tomlin made it clear this past Tuesday that Byron Leftwich was the back-up to Ben Roethlisberger. Not that it should surprise anybody that reads this.
TE Matt Spaeth – Looks like he had a setback this week with his concussion suffered against the Raiders. He is slated to miss his second straight week.
DE Aaron Smith – Get well soon, Aaron. We need you back in the playoffs. Look for Tomlin to give a detailed status update on Aaron on Tuesday.
CB Crezdon Butler – Bryant McFadden says he is good to go with his hamstring injury suffered last week in Buffalo. I had hopes Butler might get a helmet earlier this week, but it is just not meant to be.
DT Steve McLendon – If indeed Brett Keisel is ready this week from calf and hamstring problems, then Steve is almost certain to be down. He has logged very few snaps while he has had a helmet over the weeks. If Keisel has another Saturday or gameday setback, you can pencil him in this spot instead of McLendon. There is an outside shot Nick Eason could be in this spot, but he has practiced this week with his sprained knee and looks good to go.
T Tony Hills – The Steelers dressed an extra tackle last week with Spaeth down and sat receiver Antonio Brown instead. This last spot could go either way with it being Brown or Hills. We believe Tomlin this week when he hinted that there could be two dogs and two bones this week. The Ravens kick coverages can be exploited with speed. Brown has it.
T Chris Scott – This is the new home for Chris the rest of the season baring another injury to the offensive line.
RB Jonathan Dwyer – Watch film little buddy and lift some weights.
