The Pittsburgh Steelers are lacing up to take on the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football. In Week 8, Pittsburgh allowed the Jaguars to win by two scores on their own tuft. Now Mike Tomlin's team gets a shot at redemption in their second straight home game, and they are hoping for much different results.
The Steelers are on a short week and will be facing a 3-4 team led by a rookie quarterback. However, Titans QB Will Levis is coming off an outstanding showing in his NFL debut after slinging the rock for 4 touchdown passes against the Falcons.
The Steelers can't afford to drop this game with every team in the AFC North possessing a record of 4-3 or better. Fortunately, Cameron Heyward is making his return tonight after missing nearly the entire season so far with a groin injury, but Pittsburgh has another All-Pro player who will not be available for Thursday Night Football tonight.
Steelers inactives list vs. Titans in Week 9:
- No. 2 QB Mason Rudolph (3rd QB)
- No. 39 FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
- No. 60 T Dylan Cook
- No. 94 DL Armon Watts
- No. 96 NT Breiden Fehoko
With Kenny Pickett confirming that he will play tonight, Mason Rudolph will once again be inactive. However, the new rule in the NFL this year allows a team's third quarterback to enter the game in the event of injuries to both the starter and the backup.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh will be without star safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick. The three-time All-Pro went down in pain with a hamstring injury in the Week 8 loss to the Jaguars. The Steelers have not placed him on IR, but he is officially out for this contest. Fitzpatrick was the only player on Pittsburgh's Week 9 injury report who had a game status of 'out' for tonight's contest.
Joining Minkah in street clothes will be reserve offensive tackle Dylan Cook as well as nose tackle Breiden Fehoko. Defensive lineman Armon Watts will not be available tonight either.
The Titans were not so fortunate when it came to the injury report this week. Starting right tackle (and former Steeler) Chris Hubbard is officially out this week with a concussion. Joining him will be CB Roger McCreary and DB Mike Brown. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is also out tonight with an ankle injury (though this could be for the benefit of the team if Will Levis plays as well as he did in his debut last week).
Kickoff will be at 8:15 p.m. Eastern Time and the game can streamed on Prime Video. This is a pivotal contest for both teams as the Steelers and Titans each look to gain some ground in their respective divisional races.