The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the (7-1) Dallas Cowboys Sunday at Heinz Field and they enter that contest with a 4-4 record and losers of their last three games. Four players were also ruled out on the Friday injury report by the Steelers and that helps tremendously when it comes to deciphering which seven players will be wearing street clothes on Sunday. As usual, I will attempt to project the Steelers seven inactives for Sunday’s contest below.
Game inactives are officially announced 90 minutes before kickoff, so make sure you check back at that time to see the names of the players for both teams who will be sitting the game out.
Zach Mettenberger – Now that starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is seemingly back healthy again, hopefully he will stay that way for the remainder of the season. His return means that Mettenberger should go back to being a weekly inactive for the time being.
DeAngelo Williams – Williams will miss Sunday’s game against the Cowboys after undergoing a surgical procedure this past week on one of his knees that has been giving him issues. At a minimum, Williams is expected to miss three weeks and possibly longer. With Williams sidelined, running back Fitzgerald Toussaint will back-up starter Le’Veon Bell.
Darrius Heyward-Bey – Due to foot injury suffered last Sunday in the first half of the Steelers loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Heyward-Bey was unable to practice this past week. He was ruled out for the game Sunday against the Cowboys on Friday and it’s currently unknown as to when he’ll be healthy enough to play again.
Jordan Dangerfield – Like Heyward-Bey, Dangerfield was injured during last Sundays loss to the Ravens. He failed to practice all week and was subsequently ruled out for the game against the Cowboys on Friday.
Markus Wheaton – After presumably being a healthy scratch last Sunday in Baltimore, Wheaton practiced fully this past Wednesday. On Thursday, however, Wheaton was added to the Steelers injury report as limited as he apparently reinjured the shoulder that has been giving him problems all season. After failing to practice on Friday, Wheaton was officially ruled out for the game against the Cowboys. At this point, you must wonder if Wheaton will be headed to the Reserve/Injured list soon and if that ultimately happens, he may have already played his final snap in Pittsburgh as he’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
L.T. Walton – With starting defensive end Cameron Heyward now back as of last Sunday after missing several weeks with a hamstring injury, the Steelers shouldn’t have to dress six total defensive linemen. Walton was inactive again last Sunday and that will likely be the case this Sunday against the Cowboys.
Brian Mihalik – The Steelers probably won’t need all 8 of their offensive linemen dressed Sunday against the Cowboys and if that turns out to be the case, Mihalik will likely be the odd man out just as he was last Sunday.
