Injury Updates

Looks like D Johnson is out of the protocol and should be a full participant in practice.

Both D Watt and Allen are doubtful but that really only hurts on special teams as Allen has yet to play a defensive snap this season and we all know how little Watt plays FB on offense.

 

The most important thing is getting Johnson back. He has had some moments of sloppy play this season, but he is a big part of that offense.

Watt's absence does matter beyond special teams. Sure, they haven't made much use of him yet, but not having the option of a fullback at all does hurt. We saw that often last season.

 

That’s with DJ missing a lot of the Texans game. He and Juju could probably be described as the joint 1/2 receivers

 

This kid is just going to get better.

 

The sky is the limit assuming he can get his ball security issues under control

 

That is a big assumption and it isn't just ball security. He had a killer drop late against the Broncos, and it seems he has had some miscommunication errors on routes. Johnson is obviously very talented, but he has to play a more disciplined game.

 

No I don’t disagree that his absence should matter more but we all know the Steelers refuse to use a FB for whatever reason.

 

To properly utilize a FB requires the quarterback taking the snap under center. For some reason Ben has never mastered this basic concept. I have no idea why they spent the money on Watt.

 

I think a big part of it was STs, especially since we lost Matakevich. But I agree that the signing makes little sense for what he offers offensively since we don't seem to use what he does offensively very often.

 

If only we had Ryan Switzer.

 

TJ didn't practice today (knee). Really hope this is just a precautionary day off.

 

Well that scared me a bit. I need all hands on deck.

 

Yeah, no kidding... TJ is one of the last guys any of us would want out of the lineup.

 

Something must have happened in practice because he wasn't nursing anything that we knew of since we played last. Don't mind him sitting out a practice, but don't like hearing it was a knee.

 

We will be fine

 

TJ out really hurts. He must have tweaked his knee in practice Wednesday. Hightower time.

 

He’s not ruled out yet.

 

because we had to replace the special teams contributions of nix and matacavich(sp?).

 

really? You’re going there again?

 

You can still line up in a shotgun and show max protect with fb and hb. You can run a whole slew of plays out of that formation and it's actually a pretty smooth transition out of a passing play if you audible. And to say Ben "has never mastered" taking a snap under center is crazy. Just because we line up predominantly in shotgun doesn't mean Ben hasn't mastered starting a play under center. He does it numerous times every game and I don't see him fumbling snaps, looking confused, or throwing Gatorade coolers on the sideline because he had to feel up Pouncey.

 

TJ Watt good to go.

 

Thanks buddy! This is the news I came here to see!

 

I haven't noticed a lot of bowling ball snaps from Pouncey so far this year. Wonder why after that sorry performance of last year. Maybe last year he didn't give a rats behind after a while.??