Smith: Torn Triceps muscle

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Smith: Torn Triceps muscle

Aaron Smith Reportedly Done For Year, Diminishing Steelers Super Bowl Hopes?

Posted on October 24, 2010 by ted


The Steelers won a tough battle in a hard-fought and fortunate, 23-22, win at Miami on Sunday. But they may well have lost the war of the 2010 season.

Aaron Smith, the Steelers’ best defensive lineman and arguably the NFL’s top 3-4 defensive end over the past decade, left the game early in the second half with what is believed to be a torn triceps. The injury will likely end his season, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

This will mark the third time in the last four years that the now-34-year-old Smith suffered a career-ending injury during the season. In the other two seasons (2007, 2009), the normally stout Pittsburgh defense was nowhere near as formidable without Smith and essentially collapsed down the stretch of both seasons.

Wow! A third career ending-injury! Smitty sure has had a lot of careers.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Smith: Torn Triceps muscle

Steelers to rely on defensive line rotation with Smith out

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, October 26, 2010



Aaron Smith
Associated Press

Injury roll call

The loss of defensive end Aaron Smith (partially torn tricep muscle) is the latest injury the Steelers have had to weather. Here are other players of note that have been hurt this season:

• Dennis Dixon, QB: Sustained a meniscus tear in his left knee in second game of the season; the Steelers put him on injured reserve.

• Trai Essex, G: Has missed the past four games because of a high ankle sprain but is expected to play Sunday.

• Casey Hampton, NT: Injured his hamstring in season opener and did not play the following week against the Titans.

• Chris Hoke, NT: Sprained his knee in the third game of the season and did not play the following week against the Ravens.

• Brett Keisel, DE: The Steelers are hopeful he can play Sunday after missing the Dolphins game with a hamstring injury.

• Byron Leftwich, QB: Slated to start the first four games of the season because of Ben Roethlisberger's suspension, he sprained his left knee in Steelers' preseason finale.

• Max Starks, OT: Starting left tackle missed one game after spraining his ankle against the Titans.

As a measure of defensive end Aaron Smith's value to the Steelers, the team is holding his spot on the 53-man roster with the hope that the 12-year veteran can return this season from his third major injury in the past four years.

Smith had surgery Monday to repair a partially torn tricep muscle in his left arm, and coach Mike Tomlin said he is out for an extended period of time.

The good news for the Steelers is that Smith did not sustain a complete tear in his tricep — as the team initially feared — during the 23-22 win at Miami.

The bad news for the Steelers is they are severely short-handed at defensive end.

Brett Keisel's status for Sunday night's game against the New Orleans Saints is in question. Keisel did not play against the Dolphins because of a hamstring injury, though he is scheduled to practice on a limited basis today.

If Keisel is unable to play Sunday, Nick Eason and Ziggy Hood will start at defensive end against the defending Super Bowl champions. The two have nine NFL starts between them.

Both will play extensively, even if Keisel suits up against the Saints. That's because the Steelers, as Tomlin said in regard to Smith's injury, "have a mix-and-match concept that will hopefully see us through" at left defensive end.

"Do I expect the guys that take his place to play like Aaron or make similar plays? Maybe not," Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "But they better play winning football."

Smith's injury presents an opportunity for Hood. The Steelers' first-round draft pick in 2009, Hood excelled during training camp but has been relatively quiet through the first six games of the season.

Tomlin dismissed an early-season ankle injury as the reason why the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder has not been more productive. Hood has been credited with three tackles this season.

"Boy, he's got a big-time opportunity to work on that this Sunday," said Tomlin, noting that Hood worked out yesterday, an off-day for players, at the Steelers' practice facility. "Knowing him, I know he will do what's necessary in the process."

The Steelers will sign a player to bolster their depth along the defensive line, and it most likely will come from their practice squad.

Tomlin appears to be leaning toward promoting tackle Steve McLendon, who has played in two games this season. Rookie defensive end Al Woods, who is also on their practice squad, is another option.

The Steelers' approach with Smith is reminiscent of what they did when cornerback Rod Woodson needed reconstructive knee surgery after the first game of the 1995 season.

Rather than put Woodson on injured reserve, the Steelers kept him on their roster and he returned to play in the Super Bowl.

The risk for the Steelers in waiting on Smith is that they will have to cut a player — and risk losing him — to open a roster spot for a defensive lineman.

The Steelers eventually could put Smith on injured reserve if he doesn't recover as quickly as they hope.

"Aaron's a quality player, a veteran leader for us," Tomlin said. "If there's hope for his return, then we're going to be as hopeful as long as we possibly can."

[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_706190.html"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 06190.html[/url]