The Steelers, for the most part, appear to be getting healthier. But one major name is questionable for Sunday’s game.
Star outside linebacker TJ Watt is dealing with a ribs injury. He was limited in practice this week and is questionable to play against the Falcons.
The Steelers, this season, are 1-6 without Watt in the lineup and 3-1 when the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year plays.
Najee will play
On a more positive injury front, the Steelers should have running back Najee Harris this week.
Harris left Monday night’s game in Indianapolis with an oblique injury that required a trip to the hospital.
Harris does not have a game status designation on the injury report, despite missing Wednesday and Thursday’s practice and only participating in a limited fashion Friday.
A player being limited Friday and not having a game status designation is rare, but Harris confirmed to reporters Friday that he was cleared to play and is good to go.
The team, which was already without backup tailback Jaylen Warren, turned to Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland to run the football agains the Colts.
Other injuries
Warren, who did go through a full week of practice, is also listed as questionable heading into the game. However, the rookie told reporters this week that he will play.
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who has played only four games this season and has not been on the field since Pittsburgh’s 35-13 loss to Philadelphia on October 30, is again out this week with a hamstring injury.
Inside linebackers Myles Jack and Robert Spillane, who both have been dealing with injuries that have kept them off the field some this week, are scheduled to play.
Miles Boykin, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Benny Snell, Mason Cole and Lary Ogunjobi, who were also on this week's injury report, participated in practice fully Friday.
Pickens heading ‘home’
George Pickens is from Hoover, Alabama, but Sunday’s game will feel like a trip home for the rookie wideout.
Pickens played collegiately at Georgia, and has experience in Mercedes Benz Stadium, the home of the SEC Championship, in which his Bulldogs will be playing a day before the Steelers and Falcons square off.
“It’ll just be fun going back there,” he said. “It’s kind of like home. Playing in that stadium I’ve been playing in, just for a different team, that’ll be fun.”
Pickens feels that the time spent with Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett over the last few weeks has been valuable to both parties.
“He’s always been a good player,” Pickens said of Pickett. “We were both young. With time, that came, and I feel like he’s getting better.”
Kazee seeing progress
If Fitzpatrick can play Sunday, the Steelers will be able to put their three safety defense on the field for a third straight week.
Kazee, who returned from a broken arm after the bye week, now has three games under his belt — but only the last two with Fitzpatrick and fellow safety Terrell Edmunds.
The Steelers, in training camp, toyed heavily with a three safety defense featuring the three defensive backs. They were finally able to implement it two weeks ago, when Pittsburgh allowed 37 points to the Bengals.
But, Monday, the group performed far better, holding Indianapolis to just 17 points and only 180 passing yards.
“We got more reps with it, so it’s probably going to look better every week, until we actually look like a good, good group,” Kazee said Friday. “Having Minkah, who can go down in the box, he’s a playmaker. So you take playmakers and make them make plays, and that’s what we do.”