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Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster goes down with an injury against the Browns in the second quarter Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
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Banged-up Steelers keep losing starters

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Banged-up Steelers keep losing starters

Maurkice Pouncey suspension, new injuries have Steelers scrambling

Lost in the aftermath of the incident with Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is how injuries continue to mount with the Steelers. And the number of key players they continue to lose.

In addition to Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who was suspended three games for punching and kicking Garrett, the Steelers will likely be without running back James Conner for an extended period after he aggravated his shoulder injury in his first game back.

Conner, who missed the previous two games with a shoulder separation, was injured in the second quarter after he carried five times for 10 yards and caught one pass for 6 yards. Aggravating a previous injury usually means a player will be out longer than when he initially was injured.

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It is also unknown how long two of the Steelers’ top receivers — JuJu Smith-Schuster and Dionate Johnson — will be out after each sustained a concussion on helmet hits against the Browns. The Steelers do not play again until Nov. 24 in Cincinnati.

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“We’ll utilize these 10 days to assess who is available to us,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ll make no excuses and we’ll prepare for our next one.”

At times against the Browns, the Steelers were using so many reserves at the skill positions that the offense looked as though it was a preseason game. It was so bad, receiver Johnny Holton was targeted seven times and had only one catch – his first of the season.

The Steelers have scored only one offensive touchdown in each of the past three games, and the one in Cleveland came about only because the Browns were penalized three times for 58 yards on the drive.

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The lack of a running game — the Steelers had 58 yards on 16 carries against the Browns — is just one of the reasons the offense continues to struggle. It is only going to get worse without Pouncey and Conner, and especially if Smith-Schuster and/or Johnson miss at least one game.

All of a sudden, what looked to be a soft late-season stretch and a good path to a playoff spot for the Steelers (5-5) doesn’t look so promising.

“I’m concerned, but we didn’t get it done (against the Browns), and that’s my level of concern — it doesn’t carry over into the upcoming weeks and things of that nature,” Tomlin said. “We’ll evaluate this. We’ll assess who’s available to us and plot a course to move forward.”

First Published: November 15, 2019, 11:25 p.m.
Updated: November 15, 2019, 11:40 p.m.

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