Four Steelers hurt; Mendenhall, Simmons to injured reserve

[fordfixer]

Four Steelers hurt; Mendenhall, Simmons to injured reserve list
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08274/916203-66.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08274/916203-66.stm[/url]

It was a tough night for the Steelers in many ways against Baltimore.

Four players left the game with injuries, and two of them are done for the season.

Rookie halfback Rashard Mendenhall and right guard Kendall Simmons will be placed on injured reserve today. Mendenhall made his first start and he left in the third quarter with a fractured shoulder. Simmons has a torn Achilles tendon.

Backup linebacker Andre Frazier was carried off the field on a stretcher when he was injured on the opening kickoff, but he was judged to be OK and was in the locker room after the game after the Steelers announced he had a spine injury.

Running back Carey Davis left the game early in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle.

Darnell Stapleton replaced Simmons, playing with the first-team offense for the first time in his two years.

The injuries to the running backs left the Steelers with just one healthy back, Mewelde Moore. They went into the game with just three. Gary Russell was on the roster until he was released the day before they played Philadelphia, and re-signed to the practice squad.

They likely will add Russell to their 53-man roster this week and may have to sign another running back because starter Willie Parker is expected to miss next Sunday's game in Jacksonville with a sprained knee.

First published on September 30, 2008 at 1:09 am

[Iron Shiek]

Crap...what a bloodbath. That was a pretty costly game.

Shaun Alexander anyone? Another veteran presence might help...

[Ozey74]

FU#K!

[MeetJoeGreene]

Gary Russel from the PS.

Welcome back Dumptruck?

[stlrz d]

Small consolation, but the O line actually looked better, imo, with Stapleton at guard for Simmons.

[Oviedo]

Small consolation, but the O line actually looked better, imo, with Stapleton at guard for Simmons.

I agree. They did look better. However, I hope they slip Colon to RG and put Starks at RT. Keeping Starks may really pay off real soon.

I can't believe how RB which was one of our deepest positions has gone to a position of weakness. Hopefully Gary Russell can pick up the slack.

I must say, I was impressed with McHugh last night. He is a good blocker--probably better than Davis.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It is hard to believe that Russell went from being cut a week ago to being put on the practice squad for this game to possibly in the starting lineup for the next game. With Willie likely out another game and Mendenhall done for the year, Russell may be the best option as the primary RB on 1st and 2nd downs, with Moore in his usual 3rd down RB role (but used more extensively than he was during the 1st 3 weeks for sure). Hopefully Davis' ankle won't be that bad and he will be able to go. If not, McHugh will function more as the primary FB than the 3rd TE. When Willie gets healthy (hopefully after the bye), a top 4 of Parker-Moore-Russell-Davis is not awful...Rashard will be missed but I think it is still better than the end of last season for sure.

[Oviedo]

It is hard to believe that Russell went from being cut a week ago to being put on the practice squad for this game to possibly in the starting lineup for the next game. With Willie likely out another game and Mendenhall done for the year, Russell may be the best option as the primary RB on 1st and 2nd downs, with Moore in his usual 3rd down RB role (but used more extensively than he was during the 1st 3 weeks for sure). Hopefully Davis' ankle won't be that bad and he will be able to go. If not, McHugh will function more as the primary FB than the 3rd TE. When Willie gets healthy (hopefully after the bye), a top 4 of Parker-Moore-Russell-Davis is not awful...Rashard will be missed but I think it is still better than the end of last season for sure.

With Davis' injury, the McHugh pick up is starting to look like a pretty smart move by the FO even though the "geniuses" on the board could never let their egos admit it.