Steelers Today - A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

As if playing without Troy Polamalu weren’t enough, the Steelers were dealt an even harder blow.  Defensive end Aaron Smith has been lost for the season.

Smith suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.  Yesterday, Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin announced that Smith’s injury  “might be significant”.  After being evaluated, it was discovered that the injury was a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.  Smith has been placed on injured reserve and will be lost for the remainder of the season.

Smith is a quiet, unassuming player who seldom draws attention to himself.  Yet he may be the best player in the league at his position.  Smith is second on the team in sacks with 2.  He also leads the team in quarterback pressures.  But his real strength is in stopping the run.  Smith is virtually unmovable on the left side of the Steelers’ line.

Steelers DE Aaron Smith

While he doesn’t receive the attention that Troy Polamalu does, Smith’s loss may be more significant than playing without Polamalu.  For starters, when Polamalu went out, we knew that he would be coming back in “3 to 6 weeks”.  However, Smith has been placed on the injured reserve and won’t be returning this season.

The last time Smith was injured, the defense saw a precipitous drop in their effectiveness.  In  2007, Smith tore his bicep and was lost for the last 3 games of the season.  Prior to the injury, the Steelers’ defense was #2 against the run.  After Smith was lost, the defense allowed opponents to rush for over 157 yards per game.

The team will try to replace Smith with a combination of 1st round draft pick “Ziggy” Hood, Travis Kirschke, and Nick Eason.

To bolster their depleted defensive line, the Steelers have signed Ra’Shon “Sonny” Harris from the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad.

Ironically, the Steelers tried to sign Harris earlier this year when the Panthers cut him.  However, Harris chose not to sign with the Steelers, and he re-signed with the Panthers because he felt he had a much better chance of making the 53-man roster with the Panthers.  How quickly things change.

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September 14, 2009

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said today that he won’t need surgery.

Steeler Nation watched anxiously on Thursday as star safety Troy Polamalu went down with an injury in the game against the Tennessee Titans.  Polamalu was attempting to pick up a loose ball following a blocked field goal when Titans tight end Alge Crumpler fell on him.  Polamalu’s knee bent in an unnatural way, and his legs actually did a split. 

Some said that Polamalu had been hit by the Madden Curse.  The Madden Curse got its name because players that appear on the cover of the Madden NFL video game have a history of getting injured.  Polamalu and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are on the cover of this year’s game.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoqBeQ-KYyU

At the time of the injury, the Steelers announced that Polamalu had sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left leg.  Head coach Mike Tomlin guessed that it would take 3-6 weeks to recovery from the injury.  However, this was only an estimate based on how long it’s taken other players with similar injuries to recover.

Now that the Steelers’ medical staff has had an opportunity to evaluate Polamalu thoroughly, they agree with the original assessment.  Polamalu will be out 3-6 weeks, and will not require surgery.

“Regarding an injury to the knee this is the best-case scenario,” Polamalu said as he addressed the media in the Steelers’ locker room this afternoon.

Troy Polamalu

Polamalu wore a brace on the knee.  However, he indicated that the only rehabilitation that he will go through at this time is “just rest”.

Not only is this a best case scenario for Polamalu, but it is also a best case scenario for Steelers fans.  Many of us feared that Polamalu might require surgery and be lost for the season.  After watching the first quarter of the game against the Titans, it was obvious why Polamalu is so important to the defense.  Did anyone other than Polamalu even make a tackle in that quarter?  It certainly didn’t seem like it.  Troy was everywhere, making tackles and one-handed interceptions.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqj9j4jne8Y

We are certainly happy to hear the positive report about Polamalu.  In fact, I think that all of Steeler Nation is thinking the exact same thought right now; “Thank you, God”.

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Ryan Clark put a hard hit on Ravens’ running back Willis McGahee during yesterday’s AFC Championship game. The hit left both players lying on the field for an extended period of time. McGahee had to ultimately be carted off on a stretcher. Clark left the field under his own power, but he was clearly wobbly.

Before being taken to the hospital, McGahee had movement in his limbs, and he was talking. He said that he had significant pain in his neck. Both the Ravens and the Steelers joined in praying for the downed players.

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In the wake of the Steelers’ injury-filled game against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night, the Steelers were left with just one healthy running back on the roster.

Willie Parker was already injured going into the game. During the game, 1st round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall fractured his shoulder and will be put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. To make matters even worse, RB Carey Davis sprained his ankle later in the game, leaving the Steelers with only one healthy running back on their roster; Mewelde Moore.

In an attempt to address that problem, the Steelers brought in Najeh Davenport for a workout today. If Davenport passes his physical, it is assumed that the team will sign him to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend.

Davenport played the past 2 seasons with the Steelers, but was made expendable when the Steelers drafted Rashard Mendenhall. Davenport was released in June.

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