Good Tuesday to you Steelers fans.
In a dramatic turn of events, it looks like Najee Harris will play this weekend in the home opener. After he was clearly in pain and hobbled off the field, rumors were rampant that he had re-aggravated his lis franc injury which can linger for a long period of time. I’m going to be honest here though. I don’t believe he’s 100% right now. His cuts just don’t have the same look to them and his explosive first step is lacking. Maybe I’m being overly critical but it’s what I see right now. I am incredibly hopeful that he can remain healthy as the season progresses but I have serious concerns.
Where We Are With Watt
T.J. Watt is getting a second and third opinion on his pectoral muscle. It all comes down to this. If he has a 100% tear then he’s likely done for the season. If it’s a partial tear then there is a decent chance he could return in as little as six weeks. As I am with Najee, I’m hopeful here too. There is no doubt he’s getting a lot of advice from his brother J.J. who had a very similar injury. I’ve been told that Watt is extremely nervous that this will affect his career the way it did his brother’s so he’s trying to get as many opinions as possible. Can’t say I blame him.
Tweet of the day… I would sign up for this in a heartbeat.
If Teeeeej can make it back by week 7 @ MIA I will be a very very grateful girl ????
— My team is going to kill me (@jBSTEEL_) September 13, 2022
Witherspoon
I hate to sound like I’m knocking Ahkello Witherspoon because overall, he played very well against the run and pass. However, I cannot get the Ja’Marr Chase TD catch out of my mind. The Bengals were facing a “must score” situation from the six yard line as it was going to be the final play of the game. Why Witherspoon was so far off of him is a mystery to me. That route is the one you just couldn’t allow to happen. If he presses and Chase runs a fade then it takes a near perfect throw. If he runs a slant, there’s help and traffic inside. Something tells me there was a communication issue there. Thankfully it all worked out but it sure wasn’t pretty.
Attention Shift
With Watt down for at least the next several weeks, many will start focusing on Malik Reed. He literally came over from Denver in a trade just a couple of weeks ago and now goes from a ‘depth’ guy to a starter. The real attention however should shift to Alex Highsmith. He played lights out on Sunday and often looked as though he was shot out of a gun. Three sacks and four QB hits later, the pressure is on Highsmith now to fill the void. If he can, he’s headed for an huge pay day in the offseason but it isn’t likely to be in Pittsburgh. That’s for another time though.
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