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The Pittsburgh Steelers' reign atop the AFC North did not last long, as they struggled in a home loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Injuries to defensive star Minkah Fitzpatrick and quarterback Kenny Pickett had the team drawing dead for most of the afternoon. The latest updates on those players portends a lot more adversity to come.
“{HC} Mike Tomlin said safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) will not play vs. Titans, but he will ‘leave the door ajar' for Kenny Pickett (ribs),” Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. “He said it will be a game-time decision to see Pickett's ability to throw and his comfort.”
The short turnaround of Thursday Night Football thrusts the Steelers into quite the predicament. They already have little time to prepare for emerging rookie QB Will Levis and will now be without their three-time All-Pro in the secondary. And even if Pickett is able to go, he will not be 100 percent four days after suffering a ribs injury. Pitt is in for a fight in Heinz Field this week.
Tomlin excels at getting his team to play above its talent level by implementing a style of football that is both smart and aggressive. Without Fitzpatrick, and with Mitch Trubisky potentially under center, there is far less room for error. The Tennessee Titans have a similar knack of proving people wrong and could be reinvigorated after Levis' four-touchdown performance versus the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8.
There is plenty for the Steelers to address, though, regardless of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kenny Pickett's status. They once again failed to establish the run, something that can't happen any longer if this group is going to earn a postseason berth. Fans better just hope to survive this ill-timed short week.
