The Steelers head into Monday Night fairly healthy as David Decastro is the only player missing the game. Here are all of the players on the injury report.
The Steelers head into Monday night with only one injury and it is to David Decastro. Although this is a big injury, the fact that they only have one is good news going into the Monday night showdown. I like where the Steelers are at with Ben Roethlisberger being a full go for the game.
It isn’t certain when David Decastro will be back as leg injuries can be long term. It doesn’t sound like a torn ACL or MCL though as that kind of injury would have Decastro on IR.
Diontae Johnson sat out the Thursday practice, but was a full participant in Friday and Saturday’s practice; so, that is good news for the Steelers. Diontae Johnson is the Steelers #2 receiver and there are high hopes for him in 2020.
David Decastro: Out (knee)
Decastro is going to be out for this game and that means that Stefan Wisniewski will get a baptism by fire into Steeler Nation. He will start at right guard for the Black & Gold and will be asked to step in for star right guard David Decastro.
Wisniewski is a veteran and has been effective in this part of his career. He very well could have cracked the starting lineup if it wasn’t for Zach Banner winning the job at right tackle. This gives the Steelers the depth on the interior of the offensive line that they had with BJ Finney for the past few years.
Giants Injury Report
The New York Giants have more injuries than the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into the Monday night showdown. I will say that the severity of the injuries are not worse than the Steelers losing David Decastro though. Three players are listed as questionable for the game are WR Golden Tate, LB Tae Crowder, and TE Levine Toilolo.
WR Golden Tate: Questionable (hamstring)
Golden Tate is one of the GIants top two receivers and has been in the league a while now. I would rate him as a decent starter in the league, but he has not clearly won the go-to guy role for the Giants yet. A hamstring injury is a minor injury and could be simply due to not enough stretching or electrolytes in his body. If I had to guess, I think he goes on Monday Night. If he misses the game, this will be a casualty of not having a preseason.
LB Tae Crowder: Questionable (hamstring)
Crowder is not a starter for the Giants; so, this is not a big loss if he doesn’t go. This is also a minor injury that can be fixed with proper stretching and electrolytes. He is one of three players on the team that has this injury. Crowder is a rookie seventh-rounder who had a good enough camp to make the team. He is significant for being Mr. Irrelevant in the 2020 draft. He is relevant now though that he has made the Giant’s roster.
TE Levine Toilolo: Questionable (hamstring)
Toilolo can now be thought of as a veteran in the NFL, but he has not done much in his career. He is starting to earn the Journeyman label after starting his career with the Atlanta Falcons. In my opinion, this would not be a huge loss for the Giants if he didn’t play on Monday. I do think the Giants need to be better about maintenance with three players having hamstring injuries.
Conclusion
The Giants and the Steelers will face off on Monday Night and this will be a test of who prepared during the preseason. Even when there is a preseason, teams are usually rusty week one.
The way the injury report shows three players for the Giants having hamstring issues show that Joe Judge has not prepared his team in the little ways to play the Steelers.
The Steelers are the favorites and I expect Ben to have a good game and the defense to hold the Giants in check.