Will Holmes be suspended?

By Neal Coolong  |   Friday, October 24, 2008  |  Comments( 4 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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Not that there is a good time to have a team's best deep threat suspended, but Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes' arrest on a charge of marijuana possession came at a particularly bad time.

With the defending champion New York Giants on the docket for Week 8, followed by a Monday Night matchup in Washington, then consecutive home games against the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers (the Steelers are currently 5-0 against the AFC), there isn't really a throwaway game in the Steelers' immediate future.

Commentary: The main issue is whether Holmes will be suspended. Considering New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk was suspended for a game on the same charge, it seems likely Holmes will suffer the same fate. Currently, second-year man Dallas Baker sits behind Holmes at split end on the depth chart, followed by rookie Limas Sweed. Between them this year, they have one catch -- an 11-yard completion from Byron Leftwich in last week's 38-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It was Sweed's first game in uniform.

Holmes' production this season is debatable, though. He's second on the team with 22 catches, and is tops with a 16.4 yards per reception average; however, he rode high expectations into this season, and has not turned into the 12-touchdown receiver many thought he'd be. There are still 10 games to play, but judging by recent events in the NFL (Faulk), it looks as though Holmes will only have nine more.

Fan Pulse: News of Holmes' arrest broke late Thursday night, but fans at Pittsburgh Live are already commenting on the situation in high volume.

Fantasy Football Impact: Holmes has been a disappointment to fantasy owners this year, and with the distraction of his arrest, he's a tough start against an outstanding Giants defense Sunday.

Injury Watch: Left tackle Marvel Smith has not practiced this week, and is likely to miss his second game in a row. For the second straight week, Max Starks will replace him. Running back Willie Parker has practiced on a limited basis, and his status is uncertain.
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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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