Simmons may miss Week 3

By Neal Coolong  |   Friday, September 19, 2008  |  Comments( 5 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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As the debate over whether Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a sprained or a separated shoulder, his offensive line may be one guard lighter this weekend.

Veteran right guard Kendall Simmons and his wife, Celesta, are expecting their third child as soon as this weekend, and Simmons has said if she is in labor, he will not attend the game. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has given Simmons his blessing, according to the Post-Gazette.

Second-year guard/center Darnell Stapleton is listed as Simmons' backup.

Commentary: Some things come before football. With a road trip to Philadelphia on the horizon, Simmons' situation couldn't come at a worse time for the team. If Stapleton is thrust into the starting lineup, he will have to help keep the Eagles' pair of stud defensive tackles -- Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson -- at bay. The offensive line will have enough of a problem handling Pro Bowl defensive end Trent Cole, and whether it's Stapleton or Simmons, they're going to have to combine forces with center Justin Hartwig and left guard Chris Kemoeatu to push the interior of the line if the Steelers are going to steal an upset win.

The Post-Gazette reports that while Tomlin was aware of the possibility of Simmons' absence, neither Stapleton nor offensive coordinator Bruce Arians knew of it. Simmons' wife would be induced before Week 4's matchup with rival Baltimore if she doesn't deliver this weekend.

Fan Pulse: Steelers fans are discussing the possibility of Simmons' absence and Roethlisberger's shoulder on PittsburghLive.

Fantasy Football Impact: Simmons' absence won't help the Steelers' running attack meaning the NFL's third-highest rushing producer, Willie Parker, may not be looking at the best game of his season. But Stapleton is bigger than Simmons, it's possible the team may look to rush straight at the Eagles and powerful rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall will get a few more carries.

Injury Watch: The only consensus people seem to want to come to on Roethlisberger's shoulder is that it's sore. He's going to play Sunday. The Steelers will be without DE Brett Keisel (calf) and may be sans starting cornerback Deshea Townsend (heel) for the second straight week. He did not practice Thursday.
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About Neal Coolong

Neal Coolong is a freelance sports writer with contributions to Scout.com, AOL and Steelers Live. He lives with his fiance in St. Paul, Minn., and saves every dime (that she knows about) for their wedding next June. He's already made the prediction that the Steelers 2007 draft class will be one...
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