Dixon could miss two weeks for Steelers

[fordfixer]

QB Dixon could miss two weeks for Steelers

By Scott Brown, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_639857.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 39857.html[/url]

The Steelers will be short-handed at quarterback when they resume practice today at their South Side facility. No. 3 quarterback Dennis Dixon sustained a mild separation of the A/C joint in his right shoulder in the Steelers' 17-13 loss to the Redskins last Saturday. While the injury is not serious Dixon could miss up to the next two weeks of practice.

Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may also miss practice time as he is nursing a right foot injury. Roethlisberger got hurt during the final practice of training camp last week, and the Steelers held him out of the Redskins game as a precaution.

The injuries to Roethlisberger and Dixon leave Charlie Batch and rookie Mike Reilly, an undrafted free agent, as the only healthy quarterbacks on the roster.

• While Stefan Logan excelled as a kickoff and punt returner last Saturday night, wide receiver Shaun McDonald remains hopeful that he'll get a chance to show the coaches what he can do returning punts.

"We haven't talked about who's going this week (against the Bills)," said the sixth-year veteran, who has returned punts for the Rams and Lions. "That will probably happen a couple days from now, so hopefully I get back there."

McDonald has made a good impression as a receiver during the preseason. He leads the Steelers in both receptions (nine) and receiving yards (82) through two exhibition games and said he is comfortable lining up anywhere as a wideout even though his size makes the 5-10, 183-pounder ideal for the slot.

"Throughout my career, being that I've been playing with guys on the outside, I've been in the slot a lot, so I've been doing a lot of underneath stuff, and that's where I've gotten most of my catches in the league," McDonald said. "But I think I can do it all."

DIGITS

20 — Times the Steelers have been penalized in two preseason games.

[Jooser]

Darn it, I wish that Byron woulda stayed in the 'Burgh.