Steel City Blitz
Hey Steelers Fans. Welcome to Wednesday!
Timing is everything. In many cases this statement usually infers positivity. In the case of Will Howard, it’s the complete opposite. The sixth round pick and ‘fan favorite’ broke a bone on his right pinky finger yesterday in Latrobe. The injury will likely cost him three to four weeks which means he’s going to miss the only chance he had of playing this year. Currently listed as the fourth QB, Howard needed the preseason to show off his skills. Now – barring a disastrous string of injuries to the guys ahead of him – he’ll not see game action until 2026. Yeah, timing can be a great thing but it can also bring some harsh realities too.
As the season nears, the season preview articles and hot takes have grown in their number and intensity. The more I see the more I continue to read and hear about the Steelers’ defense. To suggest that NFL pundits are high on this unit would be an understatement. Some are calling this the number one defense in the league. While this defense is definitely better than the one we saw getting steamrolled in Baltimore, let’s slow down a bit on the superlatives. Derrick Harmon, Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey immediately make the defense better. Don’t forget however the defense no longer has Minkah Fitzpatrick which for some is a good thing. What really concerns me is defensive line depth. The starters, Harmon, Keeanu Benton and Cam Heyward are really good, but what is behind them is concerning. I do believe this group has a chance to be really good but I’m not going any further than that just yet.
Besides Howard, Jonnu Smith left practice with a knee issue. Mike Tomlin deemed it “less significant” in regards to other injuries. Alex Highsmith is expected to miss a few more days with his groin injury. This is the point in Training Camp where injuries typically start becoming an issue. Let’s hope that the injuries stay minor or perhaps non-existent the rest of the way. Which isn’t likely but one can hope.
Episode 433 of the SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc will air LIVE Thursday night at 10pmET. We’ll break down all the latest from Camp and look ahead to the preseason opener in Jacksonville.
The only things you really need to know right now is that Red Zone isn’t changing this year and that the NFL will own 10% of ESPN. That latter part is what I find interesting. Keep an eye on how The Mothership reports on the NFL in the coming season. Oh you’ll see negative stories when they are warranted but there’s no doubt in my mind that ESPN will be “protecting the shield” as often as possible.
If I’m Mike Tomlin, I’m playing Aaron Rodgers for at least a series or two Saturday....
