Good news: Roethlisberger, Harrison only questionable for Sunday’s game

By Neal Coolong  |   Saturday, October 04, 2008  |  Comments( 4 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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The good news is that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and linebacker James Harrison are listed as questionable on the team's injury report for their Sunday night showdown at Jacksonville.

Unlike seven other Steelers players, at least they are expected to play.

The Steelers will be without running backs Willie Parker (knee), Carey Davis (ankle) and Rashard Mendenhall (injured reserve, shoulder), nose tackle Casey Hampton (groin), defensive ends Brett Keisel (calf) and Nick Eason (groin) and right guard Kendall Simmons (Achilles). Practice squad tight end Sean McHugh will handle fullback duties for Davis.

Commentary: The fact that Roethlisberger and Harrison are only questionable is a mild victory for a team decimated by injuries over the past two weeks. Considering the patchwork being applied to the Steelers; starting lineup, perhaps backup QB Byron Leftwich is more suited to start this week. Leftwich has not reported any injuries as of now.

RB Mewelde Moore will get his first start with the Steelers, and coach Mike Tomlin is playing possum with who will replace Simmons at right guard. It's likely it will be Darnell Stapleton over Trai Essex, but a long-term decision has not been made.

The 3-1 Steelers are looking at injury issues across their team, and playing conference rival Jacksonville doesn't help. The Jaguars became the first team to beat the Steelers twice in one season in Pittsburgh by virtue of a 32-29 victory last year in the AFC wild-card round. Earlier, they knocked off the Steelers, 29-22, in the regular season.

The Jaguars' secondary has fallen victim to the same plague. Starting safety Reggie Nelson and starting cornerback Drayton Florence will miss Sunday's game.

Fan Pulse: Fans are discussing the Steelers' injury situation on Pittsburgh Live, and writing about how their new-look team will fare against a Jacksonville club that's dominated the Pennsylvanians.

Fantasy Football Impact: With Roethlisberger's lingering shoulder injury, and depleted offensive line and running game, it's uncertain how much he'll be able to do. The addition of Moore is an interesting thought because of his receiving skills. He had two big catches late in the Steelers' 23-20 win over Baltimore in Week 4.

Injury Watch: Eason's injury was unexpected going into Friday's practice. The Steelers will be without two of their three starting linemen (Keisel and Hampton) and one of their backups.
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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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