How shorthanded will the Steelers be against the Ravens?
While the Ravens are relatively healthy, the Steelers are dealing with some major injuries. Ahead of Saturday’s pivotal AFC North showdown, the visiting team could be without several key starters. Most of them already missed the last game, but the most recent addition is the most significant.
On Tuesday, the Steelers practiced without T.J. Watt, George Pickens, DeShon Elliott, and Donte Jackson. Also not practicing due to injury was Justin Fields, while Larry Ogunjobi practiced on a limited basis. The idea of the Steelers playing without both Watt and Pickens, however, is pretty dreadful. And the more names you sprinkle in there, the worse it gets.
The Steelers could win the AFC North on Saturday simply by beating the Ravens. That along would be sufficient for them to claim the division title. Failure to do so would see the division race drag on through the season finale, however.
Under ideal circumstances, the Steelers would bring all hands on deck for such a big game. But having already qualified for the postseason, they have to think about the long view. Steelers HC Mike Tomlin insists that everyone who can play will play, but “can” carries a lot of weight here.
By what standard will the Steelers judge whether someone can play? Even with the division title in play, we’re not talking about the Super Bowl. And even in a loss, they would still control their destiny for the AFC North. All they would need to do is win their final two games.
But how are the Steelers going to win without players like George Pickens and T.J. Watt? We already know how horrible their record is without Watt, and they are 0-1 without Pickens. There are still two more practice days ahead, so we’ll have to see by the end of the week where things stand on the health front. Right now, there is obvious concern, but still with room for optimism.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Russell Wilson earning a lucrative new deal next year, and is Justin Fields still in consideration? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
