Only two players missed practice Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again trying to get back on the winning track, this time on the road in Indianapolis for Monday Night Football. As the Steelers took the practice field for their final official day of preparation for the Colts, there were two players who did not participate while three were limited. In the final injury report of the week courtesy of the Steelers PR Department, two players have been ruled out while two others are questionable.

Steelers PR Department

In Sunday’s game, Jaylen Warren played only three offensive snaps before entering his hamstring and being ruled out for the game. In Tuesday’s press conference, Coach Tomlin said Warren‘s hamstring injury wasn’t significant but could still keep him out of the lineup. On Thursday and Friday, Warren was unable to take the practice field. Saturday saw Warren missing practice again and he has been ruled out for Monday’s game.

Another player who was unable to finish last Sunday’s game was center Mason Cole with a foot injury. On Thursday, Cole was unable to practice in his first opportunity. With another chance to get on the practice field on Friday, Cole progressed to be a limited participant. On Saturday, Cole was a full participant and carries no injury status for Monday’s game.

The third player injured in the Steelers previous game was wide receiver Miles Boykin who was missed in his role as a gunner on special teams. Dealing with an oblique injury, Boykin missed the first official practice of the week. Things were progressing in a positive manner as Boykin returned in a limited fashion on Friday, but on Saturday Boykin was limited again and is questionable for Monday’s game.

After coming back to play in Week 8 after missing multiple games, Ahkello Witherspoon found himself missing another two games with his hamstring injury in Week 10 and Week 11. On both Thursday and Friday, Witherspoon was still unable to practice. Once again, Witherspoon did not practice on Saturday and has been ruled out for Monday’s game.

There were three players who did not practice on Thursday that were designated as rest and not being injury related. Those players were Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Larry Ogunjobi. As expected, all three players returned as full participants on Friday. Saturday saw two of the three players participating fully again with a Larry Ogunjobi being limited with a toe injury. On a positive note, none of them carry an injury status for Monday.

As for the new names on the list from Friday, Connor Heyward did not participate in practice on Friday due to illness. Two other players on the list were Robert Spillane with a back injury and James Daniels with a groin injury as both players were listed as limited participants. Both Heyward and Daniels returned as full participants on Saturday with no injury designation while Robert Spillane was once again limited and is questionable for Monday’s game.

As for the Colts’ injury report, you can see the names below when available.

The rookie quarterback knows he has to spread the football around to all the Steelers’ playmakers.

Being a starting quarterback in the NFL isn’t an easy task. The game moves a million miles an hour, and decisions must be made in a split second. If you happen to be a rookie quarterback, you can only imagine the pressure on you every time you snap the football. The decision making aspect of the position is enough to make your head spin, but when it comes to keeping your teammates happy it throws in an all new wrinkle into the equation.

For Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, he is getting more comfortable with the role he has with his team; however, he is learning if you don’t get everyone involved it can lead to disgruntled teammates and not-so-friendly headlines.

The player Pickett hasn’t been able to get the ball to, who was often targeted with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, is Dionate Johnson. Johnson has struggled to get into a rhythm with Pickett, and, according to the rookie, it is because of how the defense is playing the Pro Bowl receiver.

“If he’s getting doubled, man, it’s tough to get him the ball, and they know how great of a player he is.” Pickett said. “So, I think if we move him around and don’t keep him in the same spot, I think that’s a way to get him some more opportunities.”

When asked if the opposing defense is scheming to take Johnson out of the game, Pickett agreed wholeheartedly.

“100 percent.” said Pickett. “Yeah, if they’re playing man with a safety overtop leaning to his side or they’re clouding a lot to his side, they’re definitely scheming to take him away.”

Johnson has visibly shown frustration during games if the targets to come his way, but he never yells on the sideline or pouts. He simply wants to make sure he and Pickett are still on the same page.

“He’s a smart player. We’ll come off the field and he’s like, “They were over the top,” or, “They’re doubling them up.” So, he knows, and he’s a great player and he wants to help us win. We’ll get him in some spots to be successful.”

This is when the pressure is on a quarterback to not force passes to a player like Johnson, but to spread the football around. And it isn’t as if Pickett doesn’t have other weapons at his disposal on almost every play. One of those weapons, who he has a strong connection with thus far, is fellow rookie George Pickens.

“He’s a great receiver. We talk all the time about how he’s evolving into a complete receiver and doing more things and running different routes and having a full route tree that corners have to deal with. You become a lot tougher to cover when you have all different ways that you can go and you’re not just a deep ball threat, which he’s not. He does a lot of great of things for us at intermediate level. I think as his game continues to grow, we’ll continue to grow as an offense.

“He’s the best athlete probably that I’ve played with. Just the freak things that he does, the catches he makes that are so nonchalant to him, but I kind of look around like, “I’ve never seen that before in my life.” He’s a unique guy that can do a lot of great things. We’ve just got to continue to get him the football.”

With the Steelers trading Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears, you’d think getting the ball to Johnson and/or Pickens would be enough, but it isn’t. You have to also throw in tight end Pat Freiermuth as another viable weapon who is worthy of more targets.

Pickett knows what kind of asset it is to have someone like Freiermuth on top of players like Johnson and Pickens.

“That’s kind of the game that defenses have to play. Who are you going to take away? Where am I going to be going with the football with the guys that we have? My job is to read the defense and get the guy that’s open, so that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

Many people who have played football at a high level will tell you how some pass catchers will come off the field and say they are always open. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s up to the quarterback to decipher how to not just spread the football around but also to get it to the player with the best matchups.

Pickett has shown a willingness to do so, and it has led to decreased targets for Johnson. Will this trend continue? If it does, but the Steelers win, all is well. But if the Steelers don’t target Johnson and they lose, you can expect to hear more about how the high priced receiver probably needs more targets coming his way.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12 on Monday Night Football.

Steelers fans should keep an eye on these NFL Draft prospects in the Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry!

The 2023 NFL Draft is still months in the distance, but with college football having arrived, the beginning stages of the 2023 draft process has begun. With that in mind, it is time to dive into this week’s biggest games in the college football world, taking a look at potential Steelers draft targets to pay attention to during their respective games.

Offensive line is definitely an area the Steelers need to address, and the most likely resource for the solution is indeed the draft. Concerns at cornerback and linebacker also loom large over the Pittsburgh’s head. Although we will certainly break down prospects at other positions this season as well, these will be the primary positions of emphasis.

Nearly every week during the season, there are several highlight games that steal the headlines, but even when these games overshadow the rest of the college football landscape, we will not be negligent of the other games and prospects in action. Every week during the season, we will recap the previous week’s action and determine whose stock rose the most as it pertains to the NFL Draft.

This week, we are focusing solely on the perhaps the greatest rivalry in all of sports: “The Game.” This year’s rendition of Michigan vs. Ohio State will be taking place at the toilet bow… I mean, the ’shoe. Both teams have dealt with significant injuries in the backfield, and the health of both teams’ running backs may determine the fate of the game.

For this week’s draft preview, we are going to rank the top 10 players to watch in this game from a Steelers perspective. All ten of these prospects could potentially be a fit for the Steelers, but keep a special eye on the names at the top of this list, as their draft stock and position both fit what the Steelers have and need when the draft rolls around.

As always, be sure to share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section below, but without further adieu, here are the top prospects to keep an eye on in THE GAME!!!

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1. DJ Turner | CB | Michigan |

If Turner can slow down freshman phenom Marvin Harrison, Jr., his stock will be firmly inside the first round. The Steelers need corners, and Turner’s aggressiveness would fit Teryl Austin’s defense.

2. Paris Johnson, Jr. | OT | Ohio State |

Johnson has not faced a ton of elite pass rushers this season, but he has been a steady presence along the offensive line. Strong testing at the combine could make him the OT1 in this draft.

3. Mazi Smith | NT | Michigan |

Tyson Alualu’s NFL days are about numbed, and Montravius Adams is best suited as a rotational backup. Smith is insanely athletic, and he could give the Steelers a true Casey Hampton type at tackle.

4. Olusegun Oluwatimi | C | Michigan

Oluwatimi is a transfer from Virginia who has been one of the catalysts of Michigan’s running success. While not the strongest lineman, Oluwatimi is a solid athlete who moves well in space. Consider him a likely Day 2 pick as of now.

5. Ryan Hayes | OT | Michigan |

Keep an eye on Hayes when faced against sophomore stud J.T. Tuimoloau. Tuimoloau is a legit top-10 prospect in the 2024 class, and he has every athletic gift needed to dominate. If contained, the talented Michigan tackle could find his way into the later portions of Round 1.

6. Luke Wypler | C | Ohio State |

There is no guarantee Wypler declares this year, but he has a chance to prove himself Saturday, likely facing Mazi Smith for the majority of the game. Wypler may lack Smith’s size, but he makes up for his slightly undersized frame with great technique, balance, and hand usage.

7. Zak Zinter | G | Michigan |

Zinter is not coming off the greatest of performances, but he has an opportunity to erase last week’s game with a good one against Ohio State’s talented defensive line. Zinter is a solid run blocker, but he gets in trouble when his pads are too high. I currently have an early Day 3 grade on him.

8. Lathan Ransom | CB | Ohio State |

Ransom’s biggest concerns come in the area of speed, but he could make sense for a zone-heavy defense when used correctly. Michigan’s receivers have not done well at creating separation this season, giving Ransom a prime opportunity to succeed.

9. Mike Morris | EDGE | Michigan

Morris is a legitimate top-50 prospect, but regardless of Alex Highsmith’s future with the team, EDGE simply is not a top team need. Thus, he falls down the list to number nine.

10. Zach Harrison | EDGE | Michigan

It has been a rough season for Harrison, but he is coming off his best game of the season against Maryland. His stock will most definitely rise if he can have success against Michigan’s strong offensive line.

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Which Michigan and Ohio State prospects would you like to see on the Steelers in 2023? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to chime in throughout the day as we soak in an excellent rivalry weekend!

This game has no shortage of great positional battles.

Following Pittsburgh’s home defeat to the Bengals last Sunday, the Steelers get an additional day to prepare for their next foe: the Indianapolis Colts. Sitting at 3-7 with only seven games left this year, it’s do-or-die time against Jeff Saturday’s 4-6-1 team.

The Steelers put their seven-game winning streak against Indy on the line Monday night from Lucas Oil Stadium. Although history has been dominated recently from a black-and-gold perspective, these three matchups between position groups and/or players will play significant roles in determining this affair’s outcome.

The Steelers’ IOL vs. the Colts’ DL

Without question, Indianapolis boasts two of the more disruptive interior defensive linemen in the NFL in DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.

Buckner, a two-time Pro Bowler, is one of just 11 defensive linemen to play 540+ snaps this year; his 76.6 Pro Football Focus grade is fifth among such D-linemen, while his 33 pressures are second on the Colts.

Further, Stewart has played to the tune of a 75 PFF rating, and he’s tied for the league lead among DL with 31 stops. In his sixth year out of Albany State, Stewart has continued to fly under the radar but consistently shows up with monster disruptive plays like this.

Given Indianapolis’ prodigious interior defensive talent, it falls on the shoulders of Kevin Dotson, Mason Cole and James Daniels to mitigate them as best as possible. Given the foot injury that he suffered in Week 11, Cole did not practice on Thursday; moreover, Cole and Daniels were limited on Friday. Such injuries only make this that much more of an uphill climb.

While Daniels has been relatively steady in both pass protection and run blocking, Dotson and Cole have been rather inconsistent. The three (or their backups) must not only protect Kenny Pickett from pressure up the middle, but also free up some space for Najee Harris.

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Alex Highsmith vs. Bernhard Raimann

Highsmith has proven to be one of the better and more refined edge defenders in the NFL this year. The third-year man ranks 15^th in PFF grade among edge rushers to see 400 or more snaps, and his nine sacks are tied for fifth in the NFL.

Sure, T.J. Watt draws the bulk of the attention via double teams and chips, but Highsmith has proven that he cannot be left one-on-one. The Charlotte product has four pressures in each of the last two games with Watt and won AFC Defensive Player of the Week after a sensational performance against the Saints.

On the other side of the token, Indianapolis’ left tackle position has been a revolving door in 2022. Initial starter Matt Pryor got the nod in the first five games, but then Bernhard Raimann and Dennis Kelly have each protected the blindside. Since Saturday took over before Week 10, it’s been Raimann’s job to lose.

With Watt opposing Braden Smith, one of the more consistent right tackles in football, Highsmith must impose his will upon the rookie Raimann, getting pressure on Matt Ryan and helping to wrap up Jonathan Taylor.

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Levi Wallace/Cam Sutton/Arthur Maulet vs. Michael Pittman Jr.

After a dazzling performance against the Saints’ receivers, Pittsburgh’s secondary struggled mightily against Cincinnati — and particularly Tee Higgins. The 6-foot-4 wideout set a season high with nine catches for 148 receiving yards, besting whichever corner wearing black and gold lined up against him.

The Steelers will face another big-bodied receiver this week in Pittman, who quietly has posted 67 catches for 678 yards. The USC alum found success against Darius Slay and James Bradberry a week ago, notching six receptions for 75 yards.

Presumably without Ahkello Witherspoon for the seventh game this year, it is incumbent on Wallace and Sutton to stop the 6-foot-4 receiver as much as possible. Also, given that Pittman runs 26.3% of pass snaps from the slot, Maulet may be lined up against him on occasion — in which case, one should probably expect some slot fades.

The Steelers held Pittman in check during his rookie season, limiting the WR to three catches for 38 yards in 2020. If Pittsburgh wants to emerge victorious on Monday night, a similar performance will need to be in order.

The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base isn’t feeling confident about the team, or the head coach moving forward.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had their fans feeling good this past offseason. The free agent moves made and the 2022 NFL Draft class had the black-and-gold faithful feeling good. Then you throw in the fact the team went 3-0 in the preseason, and you’d believe confidence was brimming with the fan base. But throughout the preseason, several issues popped up with the team in all facets. Nonetheless, the hope was they’d fix it while they won football games.

As you can imagine, Steelers fans weren’t brimming with confidence heading into their Week 1 game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals in Ohio. Nonetheless, the team found a way to upset the Bengals 23-20 in overtime and move their record to 1-0.

Such a crazy game, and victory, you’d think this would create a big bump in fan confidence, right?

Not so much.

What started next was a skid to forget. The Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, one where the offense essentially failed to show up, caused the Steelers fan base to lose faith, and in a hurry. Following the Steelers Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football, confidence in the team remained low.

But, have no fear, hope was on the way! Everyone assumed it would come via a win over the Jets in Week 4, but that didn’t happen. However, hope, as it turns out, was found in the second half of the Steelers loss to the New York Jets. When Kenny Pickett entered the game as the starting quarterback it caused a rise in fan confidence throughout the fan base. Yes, even in a losing effort.

How long did the Pickett surge in confidence last? Well, after the 38-3 shellacking against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5…not very long. However, the roller coaster ride which is Steelers fan confidence continued after the team upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6 at Acrisure Stadium.

What has been the going trend with the team’s up-and-down season, the Steelers followed up the win at home with a dude against the Miami Dolphins in prime time in Week 7. While the team’s loss in Week 8 to the Philadelphia Eagles was disheartening, the fan base received an injection of hope when the team traded Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a 2nd Round 2023 NFL Draft pick. After the Week 9 bye, the Steelers did something they hadn’t done much, and that’s win. A dominating Week 10 win, combined with the return of T.J. Watt to the lineup, has fans feeling good about the direction of the organization.

In Week 11 a 37-30 loss to the Bengals has the roller coaster ride of fan confidence moving once again.

As a part of SB Nation’s Reacts poll, sponsored by DraftKings Sportsbook, every fan who takes the poll, which equates to a lot of fans, were asked a simple question:

Are you confident in the direction of the team?

How far did confidence fall after the Week 12 loss? Well, as you’d imagine. Take a look at where the confidence was, and where it is now, below:

Preseason Confidence: 91%
Pre-Regular Season Confidence: 81%
Week 1 Confidence: 80%
Week 2 Confidence: 20%
Week 3 Confidence: 21%
Week 4 Confidence: 52%
Week 5 Confidence: 22%
Week 6 Confidence: 54%
Week 7 Confidence: 36%
Week 8 Confidence: 35%
Week 9 Confidence: 21%
Week 10 Confidence: 57%
Week 11 Confidence: 23%

With confidence on the downturn, it felt obvious to ask a follow-up question. This follow-up question was all about who the fan base blamed for the team’s 3-7 start? The options were the following:

• Mike Tomlin
• Matt Canada
• Teryl Austin
• Injuries
• Poor Player Performance

Here are the results:

The fans are clearly nearing the end of their proverbial rope with Tomlin at the helm, but it should shock no one how Canada is the second vote getter for who is most to blame for the Steelers’ failures this season.

A lot can change throughout the course of a regular season, and we’ll be sure to keep you up-to-speed on the fan base’s feelings of the team. But what say you? Do you have confidence in the direction of the team?

Let us know what you think in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12 of the regular season.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

Get the drip the black & gold pros wear

There’s a rare moment each week, where Pittsburgh Steelers players shed the uniformed look of the black and gold and show off their individual personalities and styles. It’s the pre-game stadium arrival, sometimes known as “The Fashion Show.” Once upon a time, it was a serendipitous moment, caught by the network cameras in the hours before kickoff. Today, it’s a modern-day NFL tradition, complete with its own corporate sponsor.

Some fans give this moment nothing more than a passing glance. Others go as far as to loathe it, complaining about the celebration of excess and wealth-flaunting. But for all the label watchers in Steelers nation, here’s how to get the same drip as the pros.

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Kenny Pickett

It looks like when Kenny’s off the field, he’s not thinking about downfield passes, he’s thinking about downward dog. QB1 arrives in head-to-toe Lululemon, the patron saint of yoga studios everywhere.

Pittsburgh Steelers

For a professional athlete, Kenny is keeping it humble, but this simple outfit could give some a little sticker shock. The standard joggers run around $118, and the City Excursion jacket was $148 when it was in stock. Like many Lulu products, it’s been sold-out for a while. The jacket was released in 2020, making KP8’s fashion sense even thriftier.

Lululemon

George Pickens

NFL Youngboy is leaning into his nickname with a style as unique as his personality. Here he arrives wearing Gallery Dept. They’re a Los Angeles brand, founded by artist Josue Thomas. His mission is re-purpose and re-imagine garments into something new and inspiring. It’s the kind of store that asks you to schedule an appointment for your shopping.

Unfortunately, George’s look is probably impossible to duplicate. The vest is out of stock. But according to their other outerwear prices, it would’ve cost somewhere between $600-$1,500.

Farfetch

Alex Highsmith

The pride of Wilmington knows how to keep his fit on brand. He arrives wearing his own Team Highsmith. A percentage of all sales are donated to the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation

Pittsburgh Steelers

Alex sells a couple of different versions of his “Deflect the Glory” hoodie. This color rush version is $50.

Diontae Johnson

If a luxury fashion brand could lay claim to the phrase, “the standard is the standard,” it would be Louis Vuitton. Name-checked in song by everyone from Kanye West to Meghan Trainor, Louis V represents the top shelf of status.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Louis Vuitton fans like DJ pay the cost to dress this well. In fact, Louis doesn’t even categorize his sweater as outerwear. It’s labeled an “investment piece.” Retail price: $1,535, but the steeper cost is looking like a Bengals fan.

Louis Vuitton

Levi Wallace

Number 29 is representing Raf Simons, a Belgian designer who’s been with Christian Dior, Calvin Klein and Prada. Simons was the primary influence for Kanye West’s first runway collection, and his 2008 album “808s & Heartbreak.”

Pittsburgh Steelers

This is not the kind of sweater you’d wear to the office Christmas party, where someone may spill their IC Light. It sells for $1,010, clutch not included.

Sense

Pat Freiermuth

Muth is wearing Canada Goose, a brand that’s counterfeited so much, they had to start stitching hologram trademarks into the products. They’re made for the coldest places on earth, but these coats are more likely to be found wherever status is in excess. Marketers have called Canada Goose the uniform of inner city 16-to-24 year olds and the Swiss watch of apparel.

Pittsburgh Steelers

This is their Expedition Parka Heritage, which is said to withstand temperatures of -22 and below. But apparently everyone who wears one never zips it up. This will set you back $1,695. It looks comfy though.

Canada Goose

Kyle Chrise is the host of the BTSC podcast “What Yinz Talkin’ Bout.” New episodes are released every Thursday. Hear the latest show in the player below:

latest

Get the latest BTSC podcast content in the ‘Podcast Roundup’.

We here at BTSC, and our podcast platform, are here with you every step of the way. In the past we have given you the podcasts in individual articles on the BTSC website, but we’ve decided to go with a ‘Podcast Roundup’ article which has the latest three podcasts for your enjoyment. The reasoning behind this is to take up less space on the site for the great written content we have at BTSC.

Nonetheless, enjoy the shows below with a brief description of each podcast.

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Here We Go, The Pregame Show: Not deja vu for the Steelers and Colts 17 years later

The Steelers took a step back in the Week 11 loss to Cincinnati. What happened and where can the Steelers go with a Monday Night affair with Indy in the 17th anniversary of their last meeting on MNF w/ the Colts. Join Bryan Anthony Davis and Kevin Smith for Here We Go, the Steelers Pregame Show. The BTSC duo break down the Steelers like no one else does as Coach Smith and BAD talk the threat that is the Indianapolis Colts.

Check out the rundown

• News and Notes
• Recap
• Steelers vs. Colts
• Dude of the Week
• and MUCH MORE!

Listen to the show on the player below:

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Steelers Friday Night Six Pack with Tony: Steelers must continue to let the process play out with Pickett

Kenny Pickett has failed to lift the Steelers up on his shoulders and carry them to a great season. That’s actually normal. Why? Because he’s a rookie quarterback starting in the NFL. Not easy. That and more on this episode of Steelers Friday Night Six Pack w/BTSC veteran writer and podcaster Tony Defeo.

Checkout a rundown of the show:

• Steelers News and Notes
• Letting Kenny Pickett gel
• Q&A
• and MUCH MORE!

Listen to the show on the player below:

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State of the Steelers: One step forward, two steps backwards

The Steelers redemption was short lived, as their 2022 season regressed in a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. That’s the latest topic of discussion from Daniel Jay on the State of the Steelers. Join Daniel for the latest new offering from the Behind the Steel Curtain family of podcasts in addressing the State of the Steelers.

Checkout a rundown of the show:

• Steelers News and Notes
• Two Steps Back
• Q&A
• and MUCH MORE!

Listen to the show on the player below:

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Be sure to check out this and all episodes on the following platforms:

Apple Users: CLICK HERE

Spotify: CLICK HERE

Google Play: CLICK HERE

There is always something to talk about when it comes to the Black & Gold!

It’s Friday again, so it’s time for the six pack of questions. It seems as if Jeff and Dave come to a consensus in cutting to the chase…

This week, I, Dave, will be tasked with the questions up for discussion.

The rules are still the same…

Quick rundown of the ground rules.

• I’ll ask at least four questions strictly related to the Steelers.
• The rest of the questions could be about anything.
• Be respectful.
• Have fun talking about the Black-and-gold.

Procedural Note: Since the title feature has gone away, please feel free to leave your usual title as the first line of your response and even bold it if you can for the ease of others.

So here we go! With the formalities out of the way, it’s time to jump on in. Hopefully this party is exactly what you’re looking for on a Friday night. Here goes:

1. The Steelers have their only game on Monday Night Football of the season this week. Since 2007, the Steelers are 19-4 on Monday night including 10-3 on the road.Do you think it’s a good thing for this young Steelers team to play on MNF or is this too different of a team from years past to tell?

2. The Steelers have only allowed a total of 91 rushing yards in the last two games combined. But the yards through the air the Steelers surrendered last week dropped them to last in the NFL in defending the pass. With what the passing game the NFL has become today, how important is it for teams to be able to stop the run versus the pass?

3. Kenny Pickett has now gone two-straight games without a turnover. How important is this to his growth as a rookie, or do you want to see him take more chances, throw more touchdowns, and the interceptions are just part of the growing pains?

4. I asked my brother this question this week, so I’ll give it a go here… if the game is on the line and the Steelers need either a score or a stop, which unit— the offense or the defense— would you prefer to be on the field to win the game at this point of the season?

5. The Colts are tied for the NFL lead with 40 sacks surrendered this season (noting they have yet to have their bye so they have an extra game). How many sacks do you think the Steelers will have in Week 12?

6. DraftKings just went live in Maryland (where both Jeff and I live) this week. This is something new for me to experience (their promotion gave a lot of free bets) and wagers can be placed for as little as $0.10 a bet. Is putting something down on a game or on player’s performances something of interest to you? Have you done it before? What are your thoughts on the expansion of sports betting?

Stay safe out there!

And it wouldn’t be a Friday night unless we said…

HERE WE GO STEELERS!

PODCASTS

We added some new shows and a new platform to our podcasts…if you haven’t checked out our full lineup of morning, noon, and evening shows, give them a try by listening below!

While other players returned to practice, three new names popped up on the injury report Friday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again trying to get back on the winning track, this time on the road in Indianapolis for Monday Night Football. As the Steelers took the practice field for their second official day of preparation for the Colts, there were three players who did not participate while four were limited. In the second injury report of the week courtesy of the Steelers PR Department, three new names appeared on the list.

Steelers PR Department

In Sunday’s game, Jaylen Warren played only three offensive snaps before entering his hamstring and being ruled out for the game. In Tuesday’s press conference, Coach Tomlin said Warren‘s hamstring injury wasn’t significant but could still keep him out of the lineup. On Thursday and Friday, Warren was unable to take the practice field keeping his status for this week’s game in doubt.

Another player who was unable to finish last Sunday’s game was center Mason Cole with a foot injury. On Thursday, Cole was unable to practice in his first opportunity. With another chance to get on the practice field on Friday, Cole progressed to be a limited participant.

The third player injured in the Steelers previous game was wide receiver Miles Boykin who was missed in his role as a gunner on special teams. Dealing with an oblique injury, Boykin missed the first official practice of the week. But things are progressing in a positive manner as Boykin returned in a limited fashion on Friday.

After coming back to play in Week 8 after missing multiple games, Ahkello Witherspoon found himself missing another two games with his hamstring injury in Week 10 and Week 11. On both Thursday and Friday, Witherspoon was still unable to practice.

There were three players who did not practice on Thursday that were designated as rest and not being injury related. Those players were Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Larry Ogunjobi. As expected, all three players returned as full participants on Friday.

As for the new names on the list, Connor Heyward did not participate in practice on Friday due to illness. Two other players on the list were Robert Spillane with a back injury and James Daniels with a groin injury as both players were listed as limited participants. What is unclear at this time is if the players began practice fully and suffered an injury during the workout or if it was an injury that had them limited from the very beginning. ultimately Saturday’s injury report will give a better indication as to the extent of the injuries for these two players.

As for the Colts’ injury report, you can see the names below courtesy of Steelers.com.

Indianapolis Colts Participation/Injury Report, Week 12

Friday, November 25

DT DeForest Buckner (Ribs/Illness) – DNP

TE Kylen Granson (Illness) – DNP

T Dennis Kelly (Illness) – DNP

DE Kwity Paye (Ankle) – DNP

DT Grover Steward (Shoulder/Not Injury Related – Resting Player) – DNP

C Ryan Kelly (Shoulder/Knee) – LP

DE Yannick Ngakoue (Back) – LP

WR Parris Campbell (Illness) – FP

G/T Matt Pryor (Illness) – FP

TE Jelani Woods (Shoulder) – FP

Several of the BTSC staff pick all the NFL games both against the spread and over/under point totals

The 2022 NFL season is well underway! There are no more undefeated teams remaining, but the Philadelphia Eagles only have one loss on the season. On the other end of the spectrum, there is one team with only one win going into Week 12 in Houston Texans who also have a tie.

For the 2022 NFL season, nine members of the BTSC will be picking every game against the spread and the over/under point totals. This feature will show all the games for the week including games on Thursday and Monday. Those specific game picks will be featured in the open thread articles for each game. Please remember we are not experts on betting or any kind of sports gamblers. We are just a group of Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans saying who we think will come through each week.

We are using the same program as the last two years called Tallysight. It allows us to show picks in a much more “friendly to the eye” manner. To understand how it works, the default tab is for our picks against the spread. To see the over/under picks, click the “O/U” tab in the upper left. Also, make sure you scroll on the graphic to see all the picks. If there are quotation marks next to a pick, it means the person making the selection made a comment about the game.

Last week, one performance stood out above the others and it was picking against the spread. Jeremy was the top honors this week and led the way at 10-4 ahead of seven others all landing between 6-7 and 7-6. Bringing up the rear was Geoffrey at only 4-9. I still currently lead for the season against the spread at 86-73 followed by Kyle at 82-78.

It was Kyle and Shannon who topped the over/under picks last week going 8-6 ahead of Matty and Bradley at 7-7. Everybody else brought up the rear this week at 6-8. For the season, Geoffrey continues to lead at 87-75 ahead of Shannon at 87-76. Combining both against the spread and the over/under, I continue to hold the lead at 162-160 ahead of Shannon at 162-162 and Jeff at 159-161.

So here are the picks for the games for Week 12 of the NFL season. Please feel free to list your choices in the comment section below and play along! Odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.