Spencer Anderson was the worst player in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform in Week 2 against the New England Patriots... and we might have just found out why.
Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly recently posted in an article on X that Anderson sustained a broken bone in his foot just 11 plays into the game. Kaboly notes that this injury can be classified as a 'bone chip', which causes severe pain and can be eased with rest. However, he notes that it's typically only fixed through surgery.
Do we owe Anderson an apology now?
Perhaps. There's no doubt that dealing with a bone chip could have contributed to his disastrous performance against the Patriots. This past Sunday, Anderson allowed four pressures and a game-altering strip-sack that resulted in a defensive touchdown for New England.
While we will certainly cut Anderson some slack, given the injury update, this doesn't absolve him of all blame completely. Most importantly, this isn't an injury that's going to heal overnight. The sample of play was disastrous in Week 2, and—as unfortunate as his circumstances are—the Steelers have even more reason not to start the veteran at right guard this Sunday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have all the more incentive to bench Spencer Anderson this week
I recently wrote about how the Steelers are gearing up for a nightmarish matchup against Cincinnati Bengals star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The All-Pro DT has been utterly dominant in his first two games, recording eight pressures and three run stops while routinely caving in the opposing offensive line.
While we might assume that the Anderson injury update would boot the 2023 seventh-round pick from the starting lineup, that might not necessarily be the case.
"Basically, it’s a pain-tolerance injury at this point, and Anderson powered through it on Sunday, albeit it had some sort of negative effect on his performance," Kaboly wrote.
This suggests that Anderson could once again power through the pain. But why do that when there are other—and quite likely better—options for the Steelers?
It feels like we could be heading toward newcomer Brock Hoffman getting the nod. Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is very familiar with Hoffman, as they spent time together in Dallas. Hoffman doesn't have the biggest frame, however, and he's been better at guard in a pinch than he has been at center.
Interestingly, Hoffman has actually fared well against Lawrence in the past. The Cowboys and Giants, as NFC East division rivals, would square off twice per season, and Hoffman has seen his share of Lawrence. It only makes sense to roll with the healthy vet over Anderson—especially now, knowing that Anderson is dealing with a broken bone in his foot.
The other option would be turning to rookie Gennings Dunker. If the Steelers were looking for an excuse to get their third-round pick on the field, they certainly have one now.
While I am all in favor of this, it's hard to imagine this will be McCarthy's choice. Dunker didn't even earn a helmet in the first two weeks of the season. Regardless, Steelers fans want to see someone with excellent strength man the position, and Dunker fits the bill.
Meeting in the middle between what the Steelers want and what the fans want might be the best solution this week, and that's rolling with Hoffman. Hoffman has experience against Lawrence, and it's probably for the best if Dunker's first-ever NFL matchup doesn't come against arguably the best defensive tackle in the NFL.
We'll keep tabs on the situation, but with the latest injury news for Spencer Anderson, it feels like the Pittsburgh Steelers could be open to making a change at right guard against the Cincinnati Bengals this week.
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