Steelers fighting through injuries
PITTSBURGH – In order to cover the Steelers this season, it would help to have a medical degree.
To say this has been an injury-riddled season for the Steelers would be an understatement. Each week, there’s another major injury suffered by a key player.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had to be carted off the field for the second time this season after Oakland defensive end Aldon Smith fell on the back of his foot, bending it in an awkward way.
The prognosis for Roethlisberger is that he’ll be out two or three weeks. That’s the good news, because this is a team that, despite its mantra of “next man up,” is, quite frankly, running out of players.
“I joke around with it. I say, ‘I don’t know who ticked off the football gods.’ They are definitely letting us have it this year with the injuries,” said Steelers guard Ramon Foster. “We’ve got to stay the course. We had a talk about it Saturday night. This season has gone by really quick. We don’t want to be sitting at home come January and wish about what we would have done. We’ve got the talent to still make a push and be in (the Super Bowl).”
The Steelers kept that hope alive with a 38-35 win over the Raiders Sunday that, Roethlisberger injury aside, was more difficult than it had to be.
Pittsburgh forced four turnovers, partially blocked a punt, had receiver Antonio Brown shatter the franchise record for catches (17) and yards (284) in a game, and had running back DeAngelo Williams rush for 170 yards and two scores.
It still took a late field goal by Chris Boswell, the Steelers’ fourth kicker this season, with two seconds remaining to win this game.
One has to wonder how many injuries this team can withstand before it reaches a breaking point?
“As many as it takes to get us where we need to go,” said Williams, who is subbing for All-Pro Le’Veon Bell, who is out for the season with a knee injury. “I don’t think they’re body blows. I think that injuries are 100 percent in this game. You know that they are going to happen. You’ve just got to fight through them.”
The Steelers have continued to fight and they’ve won enough to remain relevant for now. A lot of the credit for that has to fall to head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin catches a lot of flak – some deserved, some not – for his decisions. But one thing that cannot be denied is the players follow his lead. When he constantly talks about the standard being the standard for backups and not dwelling on who’s not playing, the players buy into it.
“We’re not concerned about that,” said Tomlin of the mounting injuries. “You can waste a lot of time focusing on the guys who aren’t available to you. We’re focused on the guys who are and how we can put together the right mix to be successful, how we can utilize their skills, how we can work to minimize their weaknesses.
“Injuries are as much a part of the game as blocking and tackling. It’s unfortunate. We don’t like it, but we embrace the challenge that comes with it. We’re not looking for excuses. That’s just how we have to be.”
It might be how Tomlin views things, but it’s most certainly not always the norm with other teams.
That’s how the Steelers survived while placing 14 players on injured reserve this season – 15 if you count All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey, who’s got a designation to return.
Even if Pouncey doesn’t return this season, the Steelers will trudge on. And if they keep finding ways to win games as they did Sunday, it can only make them better when they finally do get some of these starters back, if that happens.
If not, the Steelers will continue to fight for as long as they can.
F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.