The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially heading into their Thursday night showdown against the Cleveland Browns without cornerback Joey Porter Jr. again, and honestly, what even is happening? After being a full participant in practice on Monday and Tuesday, his back injury popped back up on the injury report Wednesday, limiting him before the team ruled him out for the game. Talk about a gut punch when you’re already preparing for a tough road test.
Secondary’s Scramble & Running Back Rotation
It’s not just Porter Jr. making the sidelines look crowded, either. Running back Rico Dowdle is also out, missing his second straight game with a toe injury he picked up back in Week 2 against the New England Patriots. This means Jaylen Warren is going to be doing the heavy lifting in the backfield, getting the vast majority of carries once again. You gotta hope he’s ready for a huge workload because the offense will need him.
And just when you think it couldn’t get worse for the defense, the secondary is in full-blown crisis mode. Defensive backs Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols are both listed as questionable for the game. Ramsey’s nursing a broken wrist, and Echols is stuck in concussion protocol. Both guys were limited in practice all week. So, not only is their top corner out, but two other key guys are banged up and might not even play. How do you even prepare for a game when your defensive backfield is this decimated?
Thursday Night Nightmare in Cleveland
Let’s be real, the Steelers already have a massive problem on Thursday nights against the Browns. They’re sitting at a dismal 0-4 against Cleveland in those prime-time matchups. Now, add this laundry list of injuries, especially in the secondary, to that already rough history. This isn’t just a tough game; it feels like an uphill battle that just got a whole lot steeper. Warren will need to be an absolute beast on offense, and whoever steps up in the secondary is going to have to play out of their mind. It’s going to be a wild one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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