The Steelers have a recent history of being shorthanded at key offensive spots when they face the Patriots, and it appears Sunday will continue that trend.
James Conner‘s ankle injury is likely to keep him out of Sunday’s game against New England, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). While Conner is expected to return for Week 16 against the Saints, the Steelers will have to go with Jaylen Samuels and Stevan Ridley for a second straight game.
Injured during the Steelers’ Week 13 loss to the Chargers, Conner had not made the same kind of impact in November that he did during the first half of the season. Le’Veon Bell‘s replacement was held under 100 yards from scrimmage from Weeks 10-13, this coming after he’d exceeded that barrier in Pittsburgh’s previous four games (all wins). Nevertheless, Pittsburgh is now down to what would have been its third-string running back if Bell had played this season.
The Steelers last season lost Antonio Brown during the first half of their close loss to the Patriots — one that determined the AFC’s No. 1 seed. In the 2016 AFC championship game, Bell left in the first quarter and did not return in a blowout defeat. Ben Roethlisberger did not play in a regular-season loss to the Patriots in Pittsburgh that year, and the Steelers lost to the Pats in Week 1 of the 2015 season during a Bell suspension. The Steelers have not beaten the Patriots since 2011.
Neither the Steelers nor the Patriots are playing on the level they did last season, however, lowering the stakes for this year’s matchup. But while New England remains in command of the AFC East, Pittsburgh may be one loss away from ceding AFC North control to Baltimore. A Ravens win (over the Buccaneers) and a Steelers loss would catapult Baltimore into first place in the division and thrust Pittsburgh into a muddied wild-card mix.
A possible Pro Bowler, Conner has accumulated 1,376 yards from scrimmage and scored 13 touchdowns in his first season as the Steelers’ starter. Samuels and Ridley combined for 32 rushing yards on 16 carries in the loss to the Raiders.
As long as they play zone D again. I feel like it’s gonna work this time.
“Neither the Steelers nor the Patriots are playing on the level they did last season, however, lowering the stakes for this year’s matchup.” 2 division leaders in mid December just aren’t that good?
Right!? It’s still going to be a great matchup. Just not as great as last year.
And the bill Bella check era in games following a loss where are the patriots are favored by less than a field goal the patriots are 20-0. The Steelers are not a good team right now in extremely weak division I think this pattern continues and patriots win by probably at least 10
Bills, Jets, Dolphins are a shining example of a a super strong division.
and they’re 22-1 on even numbered days in december against teams wearing white pants when Brady takes an odd number of bites to eat his pregame meal
Samuels is good as a change of pace back but has never been a feature back at any level. Ridley is not what he once was but he has been talking about how psyched he is to play the Patriots, as he wasn’t happy with the way he left there. I say put him back there, give him the rock and see what happens. Stevan could surprise, and in any event the Steelers are simply not going to win if they can’t or don’t run the ball at leas a little bit.