Pittsburgh Steelers: DK Metcalf Suspension and Key Injuries Are Major Concerns
The Steelers won't have No. 1 wide receiver DK Metcalf (suspended) or tight end Darnell Washington (broken arm) for their Week 18 showdown against the Ravens.
Meanwhile, star edge rusher T.J. Watt (lung), No. 2 receiver Calvin Austin (hamstring), and starting guard Isaac Seumalo (triceps) are trying to overcome injuries. Their status will be watched closely during the week as they try to get healthy enough to play.
The winner of Sunday night's game in Pittsburgh will capture the AFC North and host a Wild Card Weekend playoff game, while the loser will miss the playoffs.
The Steelers (9-7) squandered a chance to clinch the division on Sunday by losing, 13-6, to the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh failed to score a touchdown against Cleveland, as Metcalf began his two-game suspension for an altercation with a fan.
Making up for Metcalf's absence poses a major challenge for Pittsburgh. In Week 14 against the Ravens, he caught seven passes for 148 yards and helped lift the Steelers to a 27-22 victory at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Steelers will also miss Washington (31 catches, 364 yards, one touchdown), their 6-foot-7, 300-pound-plus tight end who was injured on Sunday. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Washington has "a broken arm that is generally a five-to-six-week injury."
Watt had surgery on December 12 to repair a partially collapsed lung and has missed the last three games. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Watt is a “long shot” to play against the Ravens.
While Watt returned to practice last week as a limited participant, CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson reported that Head Coach Mike Tomlin told her Watt will not play until he's had a week of practice as a full participant.
Despite these concerns, quarterback Aaron Rodgers insisted that the Steelers would bounce back and find a way to beat Baltimore.
"I have full confidence we'll go home and win next week," Rodgers said via Mike DeFabo of The Athletic.
Why does he feel that way?
"Because we've done it all season," Rodgers said. "We've handled adversity well. When we had to play our best ball, we did … other than today."
Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward also said the Steelers would rise to the occasion.
"The competitor in me is [thinking], 'We lost this game, we lost a chance to clinch today,'" Heyward said. "But the competitor in me is like, 'Bring it on. Baltimore is coming in. Winner takes all.'"
Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett Says Steelers Focused More on Him Than Winning
Myles Garrett (22 sacks) didn't have a sack Sunday and will enter the regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals needing one more to break the single-season record (22.5).
Watt and Hall of Famer Michael Strahan currently share the record. According to Garrett, Watt's teammates prioritized denying Garrett the record on Sunday over winning.
"I mean, to an extent. I feel like they were more worried about keeping me away from Aaron [Rodgers] than getting the win, and I think that's what came back to bite him," Garrett said via Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com. "So, they'll have to fight it out with Baltimore."
Tomlin said their strategy didn't change because Garrett is threatening to break Watt's record.
"We didn't do anything against Myles that we don't normally do against Myles," Tomlin said. "The sack records are irrelevant. We got to minimize him if we want to engineer victory. We did the same thing last time we played him. I didn't think he had any sacks in that game either."
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow Likes How His Team Is Playing for Pride (And Having Fun)
The Bengals (6-10) are out of playoff contention but rolled to a 37-14 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, who has continued to play despite Cincinnati being eliminated for a third straight year, thinks the Bengals are playing with pride to close out the season.
"Playoffs are out of the question [for us now], obviously," Burrow said via the Bengals’ website. "But anytime you step foot out there, you're playing for pride, playing for your guys, trying to execute, and trying to put good stuff on tape."
The Bengals are having some fun down the stretch, too.
Late in the third quarter, Burrow threw a pass to offensive lineman Cody Ford, who was lined up out wide. Ford caught it and rumbled for a 21-yard gain, becoming the heaviest player (345 pounds) in NFL history to have a 20+ yard play from scrimmage.
The Bengals can win their third straight game when they host Cleveland in the regular-season finale.
