Troy Fautanu was spotted in a walking boot on his left foot right after the Pittsburgh Steelers got absolutely dominated in a 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. Talk about adding insult to injury, literally. This news just compounds the misery for an offense that looked completely lost against the Pats, and it immediately raises questions about their Week 3 outlook.
Fautanu’s Tough Transition Takes Another Hit
This Fautanu situation is a real punch to the gut. The left tackle had already been dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of practice last Wednesday and limited him on Thursday. Despite that, the guy played every single snap on Sunday, even after Aaron Rodgers was pulled from the game. That’s some serious grit, but seeing him in that walking boot afterwards, even if it’s just precautionary, is a massive concern. This isn’t an easy transition for Fautanu anyway. He played his first two NFL seasons on the right side of the line, and while he was a left tackle in college, these are his very first in-game snaps at left in the pros. Trying to find your footing in a new position is tough enough without an ankle issue, and now this boot just ratchets up the pressure. You gotta wonder what this means for that offensive line moving forward, especially after a performance like Sunday’s.
Rico Dowdle’s Rough Start Gets Even Rougher
And Fautanu isn’t even the only injury headliner from that ugly loss. Running back Rico Dowdle left the game in the first half on a cart due to a toe injury. He tried to come back briefly in the second half, but was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the game. This is a tough break for a guy who’s already had a rough go with the Steelers. Dowdle, who used to put up back-to-back 1000-yard seasons with Carolina, is only averaging a dismal 2.7 yards per carry through his first two games with Pittsburgh. He carried the ball seven times for just 22 yards on Sunday before going down. It’s a double whammy: a key player gets hurt, and it’s a player who hasn’t been performing up to expectations even when healthy.
This team needs answers, and fast. We’re all going to be glued to our phones waiting for more details on the status of both Fautanu and Dowdle. Those updates should drop heading into Week 3 when the Steelers get back on the practice field this Wednesday. Let’s hope for some good news, because after that 20-3 shellacking, they’re going to need it.
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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