After being questionable all week after leaving the game Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a back injury, veteran cornerback Donte Jackson will miss Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium with that same back injury.
Post-Gazette Steelers insider Gerry Dulac stated on the Steelers Nation Radio pregame show Saturday afternoon that the Steelers will without Jackson on Saturday. That was confirmed by the Steelers’ inactives report ahead of kickoff as Jackson is inactive, giving a helmet to second-year cornerback Cory Trice Jr.
Donte Jackson has battled injuries throughout the second half of the season, leaving games for brief periods of time due to a shoulder injury and multiple back injuries. Now, on a short week in the midst of a three-games-in-11-days stretch, Jackson can’t go in a pivotal contest.
With Jackson down, it’s likely that James Pierre will be the next man up at cornerback for the Steelers. Pierre has replaced Jackson in recent weeks and played a season-high 42 snaps last Sunday against the Eagles in place of Jackson. Pierre also had a game-sealing interception in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns while being on the field for the injured Jackson.
This is the first game Jackson will miss this season since joining the Steelers via trade from the Carolina Panthers in March. In his time with Pittsburgh, Jackson has recorded a career-high five interceptions, playing 722 of the Steelers’ defensive snaps (80.76%).
In those 722 snaps, Jackson has allowed just 36 receptions on 63 targets for 471 yards and three touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference, allowing just a 63.7 QB rating.
Along with Pierre stepping up in place of Jackson, Trice should see his first snaps since Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers, a game in which he injured his hamstring and landed on Injured Reserve.
