The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Tennessee Titans at home on Sunday afternoon, and if you’re like me, you’re counting down the hours until the Week 15 game begins. As usual, I will attempt to project the Steelers’ inactives for every game of the 2021 season, and below is my best guess as to which players won’t be given helmets on Sunday afternoon against the Titans.
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. Also, the new roster rules make this exercise even harder as teams can elevate up to two players from their practice squads to their active roster for gamedays. Teams also can dress up to 48 players for games if eight offensive linemen are dressed.
QB Dwayne Haskins – Five weeks ago, Haskins dressed for the first time this season and that was due to starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list that week. Roethlisberger returned for the Week 12 Sunday night game and remains healthy heading into Week 15, which is the same for backup quarterback Mason Rudolph. Haskins has been back on the inactive list ever since Roethlisberger returned from the COVID-19 list, and he’ll likely remain there on gamedays moving forward for the remainder of the season.
DT Isaiah Buggs – After being a healthy scratch inactive in Week 12, Buggs was an injury scratch in Week 13 and again in week 14 with an ankle injury. Buggs is still dealing with that ankle injury in Week 15, and after ending Friday listed as questionable on the Steelers’ injury report for the Sunday game against the Titans, he was downgraded to out on the report on Saturday. With Buggs now out for Sunday, and with newcomer defensive tackle Montravius Adams still on Reserve/COVID-19 list, look for defensive tackle Carlos Davis to dress and play on Sunday against the Titans. Davis has not played since Week 1.
ILB Buddy Johnson – After playing a few defensive snaps in the Week 14 Thursday night game, it looked like Johnson might continue to dress in Week 15 against the Titans, as well. Johnson, however, showed up on the Steelers’ Friday injury report with a foot injury and was ruled out for the Sunday contest against the Titans, as well. The Steelers are expected to get inside linebacker Robert Spillane back on Sunday against the Titans. Spillane had missed the last two games with a knee injury.
RB Anthony McFarland Jr. – McFarland did not dress for the last two games, and it certainly appears as though he wont get a helmet on Sunday against the Titans, as well. The Steelers have been dressing three running backs and one fullback the last several weeks. McFarland not being a special teams asset hurts his ability to get a helmet for games.
TE Kevin Rader – The fifth and final inactive spot on Sunday against the Titans could go to Rader, as he ended Friday listed as questionable on the injury report. Rader failed to practice on Thursday due to a hip injury. On Wednesday and Friday he was just a limited practice participant. With Rader never practicing fully this past week, it would be a bit of a surprise for him to wind up getting a helmet on Sunday against the Titans.
