The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to fend off the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 despite losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a wrist injury.
Sunday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the initial fear from one source is that Rodgers suffered “a slight break” in his wrist. Rodgers will undergo further testing on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury and how much time will be missed.
Schefter elaborated that it’s shaping up to be backup quarterback Mason Rudolph against the Chicago Bears next week.
Rudolph was 12-of-16 passing for 127 yards and one touchdown in relief of Rodgers. He was able to seal the 34-12 victory against the Bengals and send the Steelers to 6-4.
The Cleveland Browns didn’t do the Steelers any favors when they collapsed against the Baltimore Ravens. But with a 6-4 record, the Steelers are still on top of the 5-5 Ravens and in sole possession of first place in the AFC North.
But if Rodgers is forced to miss significant time, playoff hopes in Pittsburgh could be all but over.
This offseason, the Steelers signed the 41-year-old hoping to upgrade from Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, who both departed in free agency. While Rodgers took his time committing to Pittsburgh formally, the Steelers brought back Rudolph who flamed out in his lone season with the Tennessee Titans. They also drafted Ohio State quarterback Will Howard on Day 3.
Without Rodgers, this Steelers squad barely has a chance. Even though Rudolph is in his sixth season of serving a backup role, he’s been wildly inconsistent when given significant action. The Titans were starving for a solution at quarterback when they turned to him, and he threw nine touchdown passes to nine interceptions.
More importantly, this Steelers offense leaves a ton to be desired.
Running back Jaylen Warren somehow isn’t used enough on a weekly basis. DK Metcalf was a big offseason acquisition who has been inconsistent. But outside of Metcalf? Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson are Pittsburgh’s other pass catching options.
The Steelers have the luxury of playing in a dreadful AFC North, but the Ravens are coming. Lamar Jackson was horrible in Week 11’s win against the Browns, but the Ravens still mustered an impressive win against an elite defense. They’ve won four straight games.
While Rudolph put together a respectable stat line in replacement of Rodgers, everybody knows how bad Cincinnati’s defense has been.
The Bears are 7-3 and host the Steelers on Sunday. After that, the Steelers host the Buffalo Bills before traveling to Baltimore. Things are getting serious in Pittsburgh, and they could be without their starting quarterback.
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Despite their desperate need for secondary help, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay pitched a trade involving “expendable” veteran cornerback Jamel Dean.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took another tough hit to their already thin defense on Sunday.
As CBS Sports noted, Cornerback Jamel Dean exited early in the loss to the Buffalo Bills with a hip injury.
Head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Monday that Dean is considered day-to-day with a hip flexor strain and will be evaluated throughout the week.
Greg Auman later added that Bowles didn’t name specifics but confirmed that several players are also awaiting test results for new injuries.
Dean played only two defensive snaps before leaving the game against the Bills on Sunday.
The veteran corner entered Week 11 ranked by Pro Football Focus as the highest-graded cornerback in the league (90.5) and had allowed a league-low 29.7 passer rating when targeted.
His absence forced rookie Benjamin Morrison into a bigger role, and Buffalo wasted no time in taking advantage.
Dean will need to prove he can practice as the week progresses before the team determines whether he can go against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12.
With Puka Nacua and Devante Adams and an aggressive Rams passing game on deck, the timing couldn’t be worse.
The moment Dean went down, the entire complexion of the Buccaneers’ defense changed.
The Bills attacked Morrison right away, and the rookie simply wasn’t ready for the volume of targets that came his way.
He gave up a deep touchdown to Tyrell Shavers and became a focal point for Josh Allen in a game where Buffalo’s offense found its rhythm early.
The ripple effect was obvious: without Dean locking down one side of the field, Tampa Bay’s coverage busts piled up and the Bills scored 44 points.
It is the most the Buccaneers have allowed all season.
The defense lost the physicality and stability Dean normally brings to the perimeter as Tampa Bay gave up multiple explosive plays.
Dean’s latest setback adds to a long list of injuries that have continued to pile up for the Bucs.
This year alone, Tampa Bay has dealt with injuries across all levels of the defense, multiple offensive starters missing time, and constant lineup shuffling.
On the offensive side of the ball Bucky Irving has been out since the Week 4 matchup against the Eagles.
Their wide receiver core has also been depleted.
Chris Godwin has only played in two games this year while Jalen McMillan has yet to step foot on the field yet this season.
Additionally, future hall of fame receiver Mike Evans has only played in three full games this season and has been out since October 20th.
On the defensive side of the ball, guys like Vita Vea and Haason Reddick have dealt with injuries this season.
The Buccaneers restructured Dean’s contract this offseason in part because of the reliability concerns.
But for now, the team needs him more than ever.
The Rams’ receiving corps presents one of the toughest matchups on the schedule, and Morrison isn’t ready for a full-time role.
If Dean can’t play, the Bucs face a major challenge in a game that could shape the NFC playoff race and carry real weight in their tight battle with the Panthers for the division.