Bad News: Steelers Rule Out 2 Key Players For Critical Battle Against Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers fell out of the playoff picture and are now on the outside looking in after their Week 12 loss to the Chicago Bears. Their upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills will have a massive impact on the postseason, as they are currently the seventh seed, with Pittsburgh dropping to the 9th seed. Despite that, only one game separates these two teams, so a win for the Black and Gold could potentially catapult them right back into the postseason picture.

Playing the Bills is already a tough task, and it just got even tougher. During his typical Tomlin Tuesday press conference, Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke about two key starters that will miss this game against Buffalo.

"Broderick Jones has a neck injury, he will be classified as out this week," Tomlin said. "I will have more information for you next time we get together, but certainly, he will be classified as out this week. Same thing goes for Derrick Harmon. He sustained a knee injury in play. He was able to finish the game, but he will be classified as out this week."

Left tackle Broderick Jones has been making progress during his third season in Pittsburgh, and he has become a reliable left tackle as the year has progressed. Dealing with a neck injury could be a major setback, especially with the fact that there is no timetable for his return yet. The neck can be a massive issue, and neither he nor the team can take that lightly. 

Meanwhile, Derrick Harmon has quietly been solid in his rookie season. His main key is stopping the interior run game, but he has done well with the pass rush too. Losing him hurts, but Yahya Black has also been progressing, and he will get his chance to get a starter's workload in to see just how much he has been developing in his rookie campaign.

Steelers Are Also "Optimistic" About Certain Injuries

Tomlin continued on to talk about other players that have a good chance to return in Week 13.

"Optimistic about a couple of returns," Tomlin said. "Aaron [Rodgers], obviously, worked his tail off to get to us last week, but as I mentioned over the course of the weekend, it was the prudent and appropriate decision [to rest him]. We'll start this week with great optimism, but we certainly will limit him in the early portions of the week... Same thing could be said for Alex Highsmith. He's been out the last couple of weeks, but we're optimistic as we start the week about his inclusion this week."

The Steelers did not seem comfortable without Aaron Rodgers in the game against the Bears, as he was dealing with a broken wrist. They are definitely itching to get him back on the field, and after being a game-time decision in Week 12, there is a probability greater than 50% that he will play against the Bills. Maybe then, the playbook will open back up a bit more. 

Meanwhile, Alex Highsmith has dealt with so many injuries over the last few seasons, and the Steelers are definitely comfortable with running a defense without him. He is still great for run defense while rushing the passer very well. Against a run-heavy Bills offense with a quarterback that can run exceptionally, Highsmith may be needed to help slow them down in this contest.

Tomlin also mentioned that Joey Porter Jr., DK Metcalf, and Ben Skowronek are all questionable this week with injuries that they suffered during the game. All of those injuries would be huge if they have to miss time, especially with other players that are already out. The top cornerback, wide receiver, and a great run-blocker are all key for any team, let alone one looking to get back into the playoff picture.

What do you think about all the injury updates for Week 13? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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