Last Updated: November 15, 2023, 01:30 IST
PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin received’t go searching on the open market to assist out his banged-up protection.
Tomlin stated Tuesday he believes the solutions to Pittsburgh’s depth points — notably at inside linebacker, the place veterans Cole Holcomb (knee) and Kwon Alexander (Achilles tendon) have been misplaced for the season in consecutive weeks — are already on the roster.
“We’ve got guys we’re comfortable with,” Tomlin stated. “We’ve been forward-thinking, to be quite honest with you, in the acquisition of some of our people.”
Particularly on the observe squad, which the Steelers have used to not simply add developmental gamers however skilled ones corresponding to inside linebacker Mykal Walker, who had 107 tackles final season for Atlanta earlier than bouncing from Las Vegas to Chicago to Pittsburgh, which signed the 26-12 months-outdated in late October.
“He’s on our practice squad to learn what to do at the position and to ready himself for a moment such as what is probably going to transpire this weekend,” Tomlin stated.
Alexander’s exit within the first quarter of a 23-19 win over Green Bay on Sunday left Pittsburgh with simply two inside linebackers — Elandon Roberts and Mark Robinson — out there for the stability of the sport. Roberts had eight tackles whereas Robinson performed a profession-excessive 41 snaps.
The Steelers made it work, profitable after selecting off two passes — one in the long run zone, the opposite on the objective line — within the ultimate minutes. Yet, as Tomlin famous, one of many causes the Packers had been capable of put themselves able to win it late is due to the variety of new(ish) faces on the sphere sporting black and gold.
The listing included security Trenton Thompson, a observe squad participant who was promoted to the 53-man for the sport after which discovered himself enjoying late within the fourth quarter after Keanu Neal left with a rib damage.
It’s too early to inform if Neal will probably be out there on Sunday when Pittsburgh (6-3) visits Cleveland (6-3). The similar goes for All-Pro security Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has missed the previous two video games with a hamstring damage.
While Tomlin declined to say who would put on the inexperienced dot on their helmet — sported by the participant who receives the play name from the defensive coordinator and relays it to the opposite 10 guys on the sphere, a job usually given to an inside linebacker — Roberts figures to be the very best wager.
“We’re going to lean a lot on Elandon (in general), but that’s why we brought him here,” Tomlin stated. “He’s a defensive quarterback in mentality (and) a really good communicator.”
Whoever is on the sphere must discover a method to decelerate a Cleveland working sport that gashed the Steelers for 198 yards of their first assembly, a n unbelievable 26-22 Pittsburgh win on Sept. 18 during which the Steelers used two defensive touchdowns to beat their longtime rivals.
Pittsburgh’s offense may obtain a lift with the return of tight finish Pat Freiermuth, who hasn’t performed since injuring his hamstring towards Houston on Oct. 1. The Steelers’ passing sport has been a combined bag of late, with quarterback Kenny Pickett throwing for simply 126 yards towards Green Bay, although a part of that was the byproduct of a working sport that rolled up 205 yards.
Tomlin allowed that Pickett, who has simply six touchdowns, must take a step ahead but additionally isn’t notably fearful about how Pickett’s efficiency appears on a stat sheet.
“We’re going to need more (from Pickett), particularly as this road narrows,” Tomlin stated. “But guys like Kenny and myself, man, we’re measured by wins and losses.”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
