What a finish. Honestly one of the single most memorable games of my Steeler watching history. I was so jazzed for Bell's TD, that I couldn't sleep for 3 hours!
Quite a weird week on the waiver wire and activating/deactivating players. It changed daily, and my best guess only netted 4-7 correct on the Inactive list, which I consider a plus, but it's evened out by Ventrone being the surprise cut on the team (4-4 for the week and 15-8 total on the year.
Not only did we lose a starting safety to injury (in Allen), but we cut another backup safety in Ventrone, leaving us with only Mitchell, Golden, and Shamarko. This 3 headed dragon is going to be our backstop for the Cardinals. This is a head scratcher. Why wouldn't we call up Dangerfield for this game, in the off chance we get ANOTHER injury at Safety? Does this mean we have an alternative backup safety already on the roster? Is that what Boykin is being groomed for? Even I'm not crazy enough to predict this, but I will make a prediction. If I am the coach, this is the game to see if Shamarko is an NFL talent. I give him the reps, I give him the reins, and I let him sink or swim. I know this fills a lot of SN with a sense of dread, but I see it as an opportunity. He's been groomed. He was all but handed the position pre-season. He lost it, and now has a chance to make his mark. It's now or never for him, and I expect him to start this week. I'm not as down on his losing the football on the punt and nearly catching it, as I am up on the fact that he recovered a fumble, and had it not been for the female referee's inadvertent whistle, we would have had 2 defensive TDs, and Shamarko would be a hero. We did keep his recovered fumble and gained a possession, but people like to remember the faults. To each his own then.
Injuries and inactives are bit down this week. First let's talk about our Designated to return IR player in Markus Pouncey. I know he was eligible to return week 8. With his injury, i predicted that he wouldn't be ready until week 12. I hear a tweet ruling him out with a surgery to repair an infection. For Pouncey to have any infection following surgery and antibiotics means he probably has MRSA. I assume the new surgery will be an attempt to cut it out and place him on new drugs that can target and kill MRSA. The problem with a severe staph infection like MRSA means you don't know you have it until you have complications. Good news is if this is the reason for his surgery, and not a complication to the actual procedure done in the preseason, then Pouncey can still return this year, and isn't even really that far off of my original thought of 12 weeks (Dec). I think i can lean on the optimistic side and state that if he returns this season, it will be in mid Dec around week 14. This is barring any further complications or MRSA relapse. Good thing is, Pouncey gets better care than most of us. They found it and are treating it. So he has the best chance of an optimal recovery. I wish you well Pouncey, and I hope you're on the field soon!
Now on to Shazier. If you understand the injury as a burner (Shoulder and Neck stinger), then you would understand that it's a nagging injury with a high percentage of reinjury without significant rest. Everything was looking good last week for his return until he hurt it during the last practice. Bam, we're back to square one. I didn't see his arm in a sling, so it doesn't look like he's really back to square one, just a half step back as opposed to a full step. This means he's week to week, yet again, until he's symptom free. He's out this week for sure, and I'll have to monitor his practice before I can make a good prediction, but that's all I can say. An interesting side bet you can all play amongst yourselves: Who will return first? Ben or Shazier?
Injuries are a little more clear for me to make an inactive list prediction:
1. Ben - glad he's returned to practice in some capacity, and even happier he's helping to coach up Vick. Godspeed Ben!
2. Shazier - Back on the bench for this year's sweatshirt darling. I hope you mend quickly, I love watching you play!
3. Will Allen - No practice all week means no WA.
4. Cortez Allen - If it wasn't for Shazier, CA would win the Duce Staley Golden Sweatpants award this year.
5. Jarvis Jones - I saw he didn't practice, so I don't think he will play
6. Jessie James - He's red shirting
7. Chris Hubbard - He's the trend and with Legs being position flexible he's logical.
The other person with a chance to be inactive is Walton, since Big Dan is coming back. Though the team may err on the side of caution and make sure Walton is active in case they have a Big Dan gameday setback. It's what I'd do with a large man that has a leg injury.
Funny note I just noticed Woodley is on Pitt West's roster. Will be interesting to see if he plays...
Quite a weird week on the waiver wire and activating/deactivating players. It changed daily, and my best guess only netted 4-7 correct on the Inactive list, which I consider a plus, but it's evened out by Ventrone being the surprise cut on the team (4-4 for the week and 15-8 total on the year.
Not only did we lose a starting safety to injury (in Allen), but we cut another backup safety in Ventrone, leaving us with only Mitchell, Golden, and Shamarko. This 3 headed dragon is going to be our backstop for the Cardinals. This is a head scratcher. Why wouldn't we call up Dangerfield for this game, in the off chance we get ANOTHER injury at Safety? Does this mean we have an alternative backup safety already on the roster? Is that what Boykin is being groomed for? Even I'm not crazy enough to predict this, but I will make a prediction. If I am the coach, this is the game to see if Shamarko is an NFL talent. I give him the reps, I give him the reins, and I let him sink or swim. I know this fills a lot of SN with a sense of dread, but I see it as an opportunity. He's been groomed. He was all but handed the position pre-season. He lost it, and now has a chance to make his mark. It's now or never for him, and I expect him to start this week. I'm not as down on his losing the football on the punt and nearly catching it, as I am up on the fact that he recovered a fumble, and had it not been for the female referee's inadvertent whistle, we would have had 2 defensive TDs, and Shamarko would be a hero. We did keep his recovered fumble and gained a possession, but people like to remember the faults. To each his own then.
Injuries and inactives are bit down this week. First let's talk about our Designated to return IR player in Markus Pouncey. I know he was eligible to return week 8. With his injury, i predicted that he wouldn't be ready until week 12. I hear a tweet ruling him out with a surgery to repair an infection. For Pouncey to have any infection following surgery and antibiotics means he probably has MRSA. I assume the new surgery will be an attempt to cut it out and place him on new drugs that can target and kill MRSA. The problem with a severe staph infection like MRSA means you don't know you have it until you have complications. Good news is if this is the reason for his surgery, and not a complication to the actual procedure done in the preseason, then Pouncey can still return this year, and isn't even really that far off of my original thought of 12 weeks (Dec). I think i can lean on the optimistic side and state that if he returns this season, it will be in mid Dec around week 14. This is barring any further complications or MRSA relapse. Good thing is, Pouncey gets better care than most of us. They found it and are treating it. So he has the best chance of an optimal recovery. I wish you well Pouncey, and I hope you're on the field soon!
Now on to Shazier. If you understand the injury as a burner (Shoulder and Neck stinger), then you would understand that it's a nagging injury with a high percentage of reinjury without significant rest. Everything was looking good last week for his return until he hurt it during the last practice. Bam, we're back to square one. I didn't see his arm in a sling, so it doesn't look like he's really back to square one, just a half step back as opposed to a full step. This means he's week to week, yet again, until he's symptom free. He's out this week for sure, and I'll have to monitor his practice before I can make a good prediction, but that's all I can say. An interesting side bet you can all play amongst yourselves: Who will return first? Ben or Shazier?
Injuries are a little more clear for me to make an inactive list prediction:
1. Ben - glad he's returned to practice in some capacity, and even happier he's helping to coach up Vick. Godspeed Ben!
2. Shazier - Back on the bench for this year's sweatshirt darling. I hope you mend quickly, I love watching you play!
3. Will Allen - No practice all week means no WA.
4. Cortez Allen - If it wasn't for Shazier, CA would win the Duce Staley Golden Sweatpants award this year.
5. Jarvis Jones - I saw he didn't practice, so I don't think he will play
6. Jessie James - He's red shirting
7. Chris Hubbard - He's the trend and with Legs being position flexible he's logical.
The other person with a chance to be inactive is Walton, since Big Dan is coming back. Though the team may err on the side of caution and make sure Walton is active in case they have a Big Dan gameday setback. It's what I'd do with a large man that has a leg injury.
Funny note I just noticed Woodley is on Pitt West's roster. Will be interesting to see if he plays...