How about some encouraging Pittsburgh Steelers news as this first Thursday in November starts winding down?
As many of you should know by now, Steelers wide receiver Sammie Coates was not listed on the team’s injury report this week. In other words, the broken left index finger that he suffered during the team’s Week 5 win has healed well and I’m sure the bye week played a role in that process.
During a Thursday afternoon interview on 93.7 The Fan, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette passed along an interesting tidbit on Coates.
“Sammie Coates looks like he’s back to where he was before he hurt his hand,” said Bouchette. “He just looks tremendous in practice and he said afterward that his hand doesn’t bother him at all and he won’t be wearing anything but a glove on it.”
The Steelers offense really could use a near-fully healthy Coates back in the lineup starting Sunday when they play the Baltimore Ravens. Coates, who caught 19 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers first five games of the regular season, has caught just one pass for 4 yards in the last two games and he played sparingly in each of them.
6 of Coates receptions this season have resulted in gains of 41 yards or more and in the last two games the Steelers offense has only registered one completion that resulted in that kind of yardage gain.
“I feel great and my hand feels great,” said Coates. “It’s getting better everyday so that’s a good thing.”
