Talk about a tight turnaround! The Pittsburgh Steelers are staring down a Thursday Night Football clash against the Cleveland Browns, and their injury report Tuesday didn’t show any major changes from Monday. But don’t let that fool you, there are some absolutely critical updates from a second straight walkthrough that could swing this rivalry game.
Steelers’ Secondary Getting Scrappy for Thursday Night
The big news? Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was a full participant, no injury issues, just getting that conditioning dialed in. You gotta love to see it, especially with such a short week to prep. But hold up, there’s more. Cornerbacks Brandin Echols (concussion) and Jalen Ramsey (wrist) were both limited yet again. Now, Ramsey being limited isn’t ideal, but here’s the kicker: the dude was seen out of his sling at Tuesday’s practice, rocking a brace or cast on his wrist! That’s a huge visual. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is expecting progress from both Ramsey and Echols this week, and you know he means it with a rivalry game looming. Getting even a little bit of either of those guys back would be massive.
Run Game Worries and Browns’ Battle Scars
While the secondary gets some hope, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Running back Rico Dowdle logged another did-not-participate, still battling that toe injury that benched him in Week 3. Not having your running back in a short week game is a tough break, for real. And if you think the Steelers are the only ones banged up, guess again. The Cleveland Browns are limping into this one too. Cornerback Tyson Campbell (knee), safety Grant Delpit (shoulder), tackle Tytus Howard (knee), and guard Teven Jenkins (back) were all limited on Tuesday. Jenkins was a DNP on Monday, so getting him to limited is a step, but still not full strength. Plus, Cleveland center/guard Elgton Jenkins (concussion) and wide receiver Tylan Wallace (knee) have both been DNPs all week. That’s a lot of key pieces out for both squads.
So, here we go. Thursday Night Football against the Browns. It’s a divisional slugfest, plain and simple. With both teams dealing with significant injuries, this game is gonna come down to who can gut it out and who’s got the depth. Keep your eyes peeled for those final injury reports, because every single body on the field is gonna matter big time in this 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.
Leave a Reply