The Pittsburgh Steelers will be receiving a boost in the middle of their defense on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens with ILB Elandon Roberts telling the media that he will be playing in the season finale, per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Roberts missed last Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks after suffering a pectoral injury in the first half of the Steelers’ Week 16 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Roberts had been wearing the green communication dot to receive calls from the sideline and was acting as the quarterback of the defense. With him missing from the lineup, the Steelers turned to Myles Jack, who was brought off the practice squad out of retirement a little over a month ago.
Despite missing the team’s top three linebackers and top four safeties, the defense has held strong over the two-game win streak, allowing just 17 points per game as opposed to the 25 points per game the Steelers allowed during their three-game losing streak before that. With S Minkah Fitzpatrick also set to return, the Steelers’ defense will be as healthy as it’s been in over a month for this critical season finale against the Ravens.
Roberts was originally a part of a three-man rotation at inside linebacker for the Steelers as they also entered the season with Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb. After both of those players sustained season-ending injuries in back-to-back weeks, Roberts had to step up into an every-down role for the defense. He also had to be the central communicator because of attrition elsewhere on the defense, including the loss of Fitzpatrick at two different points during the season. Stepping in next to him initially was former seventh-round draft pick Mark Robinson, but the Steelers turned to Mykal Walker to play the majority of the snaps after that.
More recently, Jack has filled in for Roberts, so now the Steelers will have Roberts, Walker, and Jack likely to play significant snaps in Baltimore. When asked if the injury will need to be managed due to pain tolerance or risk of further injury, Roberts reiterated, “I’m playing.” This could mean more of a true rotation between the three main inside linebackers available.
Roberts has 100 combined tackles, 67 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two passes defensed for the Steelers this season. His availability for Week 18, and for a possible playoff berth after that, will be a major boost to the defense.
