Steelers win game, lose 2 more players
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-1 and in first place in the AFC North after Monday night’s bruising win over the Baltimore Ravens, but the Steelers really need that bye week to arrive to regroup in the wake of two more serious injuries.
Already without a handful of starters on Monday night, the Steelers lost rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall and rookie guard Kendall Simmons for the season. Both were placed on IR Tuesday. Mendenhall made his first start and he left in the third quarter after nine carries and 30 yards with a fractured shoulder. Simmons has a torn Achilles tendon.
The Steelers were left with only one healthy running back Monday night in Mewelde Moore. They are expected to add Gary Russell from the practice squad and also have signed former Steeler Najeh Davenport so they can field a backfield in this week’s game against Jacksonville. Starter Willie Parker is expected to be out until after the bye week, which follows the Jags’ game, and Carey Davis also was hurt Monday and may not be ready for Jacksonville.
“Our competitors, it has been well documented, a lot of those guys have suffered devastating injuries,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It is only devastating if you allow it to be. People are not concerned with our problems, they are probably happy that we have them. We will address them and get ready to play.
“It is only devastating if you allow it to be,” Tomlin said.
Simmons was replaced by former undrafted free agent Darnell Stapleton on Monday, though it’s that fourth-year lineman Trai Essex, who was not in uniform against Baltimore, would start Sunday against Jacksonville. Before playing Monday, Stapleton hadn’t played with the first-team offense in his two years.
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