4 takeaways from Steelers sloppy 19-14 win vs. Ravens in Week 12
By Tommy Jaggi
Bud Dupree’s knee injury could really hurt Steelers Super Bowl chances
It’s not often that we can say that losing a single defensive player could really hurt a team’s Super Bowl chances, but this is likely the case with Bud Dupree. Dupree went down with a non-contact knee injury late in the second half as fans held their breath. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that the initial diagnosis is a torn ACL for the Steelers outside linebacker.
This is devastating news for a team who knows they can rely on their defense week in and week out. Inside linebacker Devin Bush also went down with an ACL tear earlier this season, and with the Steelers losing their second athletic defensive playmaker for the season, it could really have an impact on this team down the stretch.
Rookie Alex Highsmith has played well this season, but he is no Bud Dupree at this point. The former first-round pick from Kentucky was having the best season of his NFL career, as he 8.0 sacks in his first 10 games. It’s a shame that this had to happen to him late in the season – especially in a contract year. Let’s hope the Steelers will be okay without him in the playoffs.
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After all the chaos this week, we are just glad this game is finally over. However, advancing to 11-0 hardly feels like a win when the Steelers squeaked by the league’s most decimated roster and lost one of their best defenders in the process. Let’s hope that they can bounce back from this.