Steelers Morning Huddle 9/15/2013
By Kim Myers
Huddle up!
Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a football Sunday but not for Steeler Nation. The Steelers will be using today as their travel day as they head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals for Monday Night Football. You can just sit back and watch the games without any screaming or throwing things. Easy like Sunday morning. Until then, here’s what’s being said about your Pittsburgh Steelers around the block.
Steelers Injury Report
The Steelers held their final practice of the week yesterday and subsequently released the final injury report for the game. CB Cortez Allen is listed as “Out” as he did not practice at all this week while nursing the ankle injury he suffered in Week 1’s loss to Tennessee. Also “Out” are Le’Veon Bell and Heath Miller. I’d still bet on the two of them returning after the Steelers bye in Week 5. DB Curtis Brown is listed as doubtful but did participate in a limited capacity on Saturday. Steve McLendon will play, as will Shaun Suisham.
Steelers past season-opening losses
Ed Bouchette of the PPG reminds us that last Sunday’s loss, while depressing if you look at the stats along with the injury report, is not the worst season-opening loss the Steelers have had. I hate to bring this game up, well it’s not me it’s Eddie B. anyway, but you all remember that 35-7 thumping the Ratbirds delivered to the Steelers two years ago right? The Steelers gave up the ball seven times, Ben was sacked four times, and starting right tackle Willie Colon was lost for the season with a torn triceps after that game. It was brutal. I remember vividly spending the morning getting all emotional watching the “9-11” anniversary coverage and then getting a different kind of emotional watching Baltimore hand it to the Steelers like that. To be accurate, the Steelers did bounce back from that loss to go onto 12-4 for the regular season. We’ll just forget what happened in the playoffs that year. Steelers Secondary Coach and former CB Carnell Lake remembers some worse starts to the season for the Steelers.
"“Unfortunately, I was part of the team that had the worst loss in Steelers history, that opener to Cleveland, 0-51. So if there’s ever a demoralizing first-game opener that was it. And that year we went to the playoffs.” – Carnell Lake"
James Harrison: Pouncey was Steelers’ best
Yesterday I boasted how proud I was of James Harrison for not taking any of the bait that’s being constantly thrown at him to dump on the Steelers this week. Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith reports that when Harrison was asked about Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey, who was lost to season-ending knee injury last week, Harrison said that Pouncey was “their best offensive player”. Fair enough. Through Pouncey, the offense has to run through but I’d still say Ben would be the best offensive player on the team. Harrison also added that the Steelers would most likely bounce back from that Week 1 loss and play better.
What are your thoughts Steeler Nation? Will you be watching the games today or taking the Sunday off?
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