Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Ramsey and Calvin Austin II Could Miss Several Weeks
The Steelers (3-1) remained the frontrunners in the AFC North after their 24-21 victory over the Vikings in Ireland.
However, Pittsburgh may have lost a couple of starters for a few games. Starting defensive back Jalen Ramsey and starting wide receiver Calvin Austin II may be out several weeks, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Austin injured his shoulder while making a catch in the fourth quarter on Sunday. He tried to alleviate concern about his injury by tweeting that he was "all good" after being taken to a hospital in Ireland.
Austin is second on the team among wide receivers with 10 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns, behind No. 1 target DK Metcalf (15 catches, 261 yards, three touchdowns).
Ramsey has started all four Steelers games and made his presence known, intercepting one pass, breaking up four, and making 14 tackles.
Aaron Rodgers completed 18 of 22 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, as the Steelers built a 21-6 lead after three quarters, then held on for the win. Pittsburgh has a bye in Week 5 before hosting Cleveland in Week 6.
Cleveland Browns: Struggles Continue for Joe Flacco and Offense
After the Browns (1-3) struggled offensively again during a 34-10 loss to the Detroit Lions, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the possibility of benching Joe Flacco.
"When we struggle like we did on offense — obviously, I understand the question, but that's not our focus," Stefanski said via Pro Football Talk.
The former Ravens quarterback finished the game 16-of-34 for 184 yards with three turnovers— two interceptions and a lost fumble on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack. Through four games, Flacco has completed 58.1% of his passes with two touchdowns and six interceptions, and Cleveland has scored the second-fewest points in the NFL.
The 40-year-old Flacco is backed up by two rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Gabriel has been the No. 2 quarterback all season, and he replaced Flacco for mop-up duty in the fourth quarter on Sunday, as he did in Week 2 against the Ravens.
Stefanski was asked why he wouldn't make a change at this point.
"Again, respectfully, we didn't do enough on offense," Stefanski said. "It's never going to be about one person, it's just not. We're not doing a good enough job. I'll put myself in there as well. We have to be better."
Jumpstarting their offense is the Browns' primary issue, regardless of which quarterback starts. They have the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense but are 1-3 as they head to London in Week 5 to face the Minnesota Vikings (2-2).
Cincinnati Bengals: Ja'Marr Chase Looks Forward to Matchup vs. Patrick Surtain II
The Bengals (2-1) will close out Week 4 by visiting the Denver Broncos (1-2) on "Monday Night Football."
The matchup will feature Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who won the triple crown last season, and Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, the league's reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
When they met last season, Surtain covered Chase on 36 routes during the game, and he made nine catches for 102 yards during a Cincinnati victory. The two have been dueling since their college days, when Chase was at LSU and Surtain played for Alabama.
"It's not somebody I need to be excited for, Chase said via Geoff Hobson of the Bengals’ website. "I've been seeing him my whole life. He's [a] really, really good, really patient, tall [6-2] corner and he's long, so you know that's the benefit of his."
Asked to evaluate last year's matchup, Chase said, "I still got 100 yards, so I don't care. You can't tell me he even stopped me."
The Bengals will be trying to bounce back from last week's 48-10 loss to the Vikings.
