Running back Rico Dowdle and safety DeShon Elliott are both officially listed as questionable for the Steelers’ Sunday showdown against the Saints in Paris, adding a layer of uncertainty to an already complex international trip. The team landed in France Friday morning planning a walkthrough at Stade de France, but bad weather nixed those plans, forcing their final practice to Saturday.
Two Big “Question Marks” Before Kickoff
Both Dowdle, dealing with a knee issue, and Elliott, also battling a knee injury, got slapped with those questionable tags. For Elliott, the situation is extra tight because he is coming off injured reserve. The team needs to activate him by Saturday afternoon if they want him on the field against the Saints. Thankfully, they have open spots on the 53-man roster, so they won’t need to make a corresponding cut to bring him back. Still, having two key guys up in the air this close to game time, especially overseas, is a headache no coach wants.
Watt Is Good To Go, But Others Are Out
On a much brighter note, linebacker T.J. Watt has no injury designation at all. He popped up on the injury report with a calf issue on Thursday, and was limited in that practice. But the team said he would have been a full participant Friday, and head coach Mike McCarthy expects the calf won’t impact Watt’s availability for Sunday. That’s a huge sigh of relief. Less good news: wide receiver Ben Skowronek (calf) and cornerback Brandin Echols (hamstring) were both ruled out before the Steelers even left for France. Those are two more starters they won’t have out there.
The Steelers will finally get that last practice in Saturday. All eyes are on Dowdle and Elliott as we wait to see if they can suit up for Sunday’s game against the Saints.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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