11 weeks into season, Steelers finally have entire defense healthy

Chris Adamski
Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 3:30 p.m. | Friday, Nov. 18, 2022 3:30 p.m.

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Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Led by linebackers Devin Bush, top, and Robert Spillane, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense stands up to stop New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton on a fourth-down sneak attempt in the fourth quarter last week at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers’ defense is as close to full strength as it has been all season long.

The list is lengthy, but the overriding news is good for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Eleven players were on the league-mandated injury and status report when the practice week ended Friday, but of that 11 only one (cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon) was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Witherspoon has not practiced for two weeks and will miss a sixth game over the past seven Steelers outings. But defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi (knee), linebacker Devin Bush (knee), safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (appendectomy) and reserve linebacker/special-teamer Marcus Allen (illness) practiced fully Friday and were given the green light to play Sunday.

Because Levi Wallace spent much of camp listed as a “co-starter” with Witherspoon as an outside cornerback and with Arthur Maulet’s emergence as the Steelers’ nickel/slot back, a case could be made that Sunday will be the first time since Week 1 that the entire starting defense will be available. Fitzpatrick, Ogunjobi, Wallace, linebacker Myles Jack, cornerback Cameron Sutton and safety Terrell Edmunds all have missed at least one game this season because of injury.

Even for the season opener, safety Damontae Kazee was on injured reserve. Accounting that Witherspoon was benched in his most recent game action anyway, it’s not unreasonable to assert this is the healthiest the Steelers’ starting defense has been all season.

“If we can get everyone out there, that’s big,” said Jack, who did not play in this past Sunday’s win against the New Orleans Saints because of a knee injury. “Especially this (time of year). It kinda comes down to attrition and who is healthy and who is not, so it will be big.”

The four players on offense who were listed on the injury report this week all were deemed ready to go Sunday: running back Najee Harris (knee), starting left guard Kevin Dotson (hip) and reserve offensive linemen Jesse Davis (knee) and Trent Scott (back).

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