Steelers’ Broderick Jones Shares Update on Injury Ahead of Bengals Game
No need to panic, Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Starting LT Broderick Jones popped up on the injury report on Wednesday with a groin injury, sparking concern about a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offensive line. Jones was listed as a non-participant in practice, but the man himself delivered some good news on Thursday.
According to Brooke Pryor, the Steelers beat reporter for ESPN, Jones said that this injury is a re-aggravation of the injury that was bothering him throughout training camp. Jones dealt with a groin issue over the summer but didn’t miss any time during the regular season. He told Pryor it’s a “minor tweak” and he did all his usual practice work, just with fewer reps. The Steelers officially listed him as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice.
Jones is a former first-round pick out of Georgia who’s now in his third season in the league. It’s been a bit of a struggle for Jones this season, who switched from right tackle to left tackle this offseason as former Steelers LT Dan Moore Jr. signed with the Titans in free agency.He’s the 62nd-graded qualifying offensive tackle in the league, per PFF.
An athletic marvel in college, Jones hasn’t ever been able to put it all together in the NFL — at least not yet. Still, losing him would be a big blow for Pittsburgh’s offense, and if he couldn’t go, they’d turn to Calvin Anderson. Jones’ practice status on Friday will likely be indicative of his status for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are Looking Over Their Shoulder in the AFC North
The Steelers got off to a big lead in their division, starting 4-1 with wins over the Patriots and Vikings while watching the rest of the AFC North struggle. The Bengals lost star QB Joe Burrow in the second game of the season and haven’t recovered — meanwhile, the Ravens started 1-5 due a deluge of key injuries and an atrocious defense.
But now that gap is starting to narrow. The Browns aren’t a threat, and the Bengals have lost two straight after upsetting Pittsburgh back in Week 7. But the Ravens are gaining some momentum, winners of three straight and with a very soft upcoming schedule.
If the Steelers want to hold onto their division lead, they have some work to do. Currently, Pittsburgh is just one game up on Baltimore with both head-to-head matchups still upcoming. That lead could be erased in an instant if Pittsburgh isn’t careful.
Few Easy Games Remain on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Schedule
Complicating things for the Steelers is their upcoming schedule. They got a major upset win over the Colts in Week 9 to stem the bleeding, but after this week’s game against the Bengals, they face the Bears, Bills, Ravens, Dolphins, Lions, Browns, and then close the season with their rematch against Baltimore.
Just 1-3 over their last four and coming off a blowout loss to the shorthanded Chargers, the Steelers need to build some momentum to stave off the Ravens. But that’s easier said than done, and it starts on Sunday against Cincinnati.
Luther Burden III will have his breakout game against Minnesota
A few weeks ago, I called my shot and said that Kyle Monangai would have his breakout game against the Bengals
I've seen more than enough from Olamide Zaccheaus. At the same time, on a
Burden hasn't had a ton of opportunities to shine this season. He's received only 18 targets in a crowded receiver room. However, there's no denying that he's made the most of them, catching 16 passes for 222 yards thus far. The numbers become even more impressive when broken down further.
Caleb Williams has a 136.6 passer rating when throwing Burden's way. That is ridiculous. Do you know what else is ridiculous? The 21-year-old has caught all 16 of the catchable passes thrown his way. He's also
Burden's numbers obviously jump off the screen, but he's arguably been even more impressive when it comes to the eye test. He's made plays whenever he's been on the field, and even shows up when the ball isn't in his hands. He's clearly bought into the "no block, no rock" mindset.
The Bears landed a steal in the second-round selection. I can't wait for them to unleash him to his full potential. Ben Johnson recently hinted at the potential of showcasing the University of Missouri product more.
“It's the trust level between the quarterback and a receiver," said Johnson. "He’s been very productive when we’ve been able to get the ball in his hands, and there’s a strong argument that we should get it to him more.”
We saw him play a season-high 49% of the snaps last week against New York. That felt like a ramp-up game. It also seemed significant that he was the only player who caught a pass on the team's game-winning drive (Williams only attempted one pass, but the fact remains).
He has yet to have a game with more snaps played than Zachheaus this season, but I think a changing of the guard is coming in that regard. He's undeniably the better player, and the Bears have their most difficult stretch of the season coming up. They need to get their best players on the field and playing as much as possible.
Burden's breakout game is right around the corner. In fact, I think it'll be this Sunday. I think he'll be a major factor against Minnesota.
