Pittsburgh Steelers fans got a treat in Week 6: we got to sit back and watch Mike Tomlin's team win convincingly over a division rival. Sure, it was only the Cleveland Browns, and yes, they had a rookie quarterback making his second-ever NFL start. But that doesn't detract from the performance.
The Steelers were electric against the Browns—particularly on defense. This unit looked elite as they forced Dillon Gabriel to pass the ball 52 times for just 183 net passing yards while collecting six sacks (it doesn't get much better than that).
Unfortunately, the phenomenal defensive performance didn't come without a significant cost.
The Steelers' already banged-up secondary suffered even more injuries in Week 6. One of them is feared to be significant. All-Pro special teams captain Miles Killebrew went down with a non-contact knee injury and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game.
But Killebrew wasn't the only defensive back who went down in this contest.
Over the course of the game, Joey Porter Jr. was evaluated for a head injury, while Darius Slay suffered a shoulder injury. That's both of Pittsburgh's starting boundary cornerbacks. Meanwhile, backup CB Brandin Echols and safety Jabrill Peppers were both slow to get up after a few jarring hits late in the game.
This all comes two weeks after Jalen Ramsey sustained a hamstring injury against the Minnesota Vikings. And up until a few days ago, the Steelers didn't even know if Ramsey would be healthy enough to play against the Browns in Week 6.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' injuries in the secondary could hurt them on a short week
While we can all be thankful for the impressive win over the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers now have just five days to turn around and play another divisional game, this time on a short week. As of now, it's hard to say which defensive backs will be available for this contest.
The Steelers have struggled with injuries in the secondary since Week 1. Joey Porter Jr. missed multiple games with a hamstring injury, while DeShon Elliott suffered an MCL sprain early in the season. Now, there's a laundry list of others dealing with ailments ahead of Week 7.
With the depth at cornerback and safety quickly depleting and hardly any healthy bodies to suit up, the Steelers may be forced to turn to backups against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football.
appearanceOne player who could be on the cusp of a return is cornerback Cory Trice Jr., who's been on IR with a hamstring injury since the start of the season. If any Steelers cornerbacks are forced to sit out in Week 7, Trice could potentially make an appearence at the most opportune time.
A win is a win, but this convincing victory over the Browns didn't come without a significant blow to the secondary. Let's hope the Steelers are healthy enough to take care of business against the Bengals on a short week.