Sunday at Heinz Field the Steelers will happily welcome back all pro safety Troy Polamalu. Polamalu has been on the sidelines since a week 1 injury and he seemingly took the ability to cover the middle with him. The Steelers have definitely struggled to cover the middle deep & short in Polamalu's absence giving up 4 big TDs there so far this season. While it is time for the secondary to celebrate, the shaky defense may be saying momentary goodbye to stalward Aaron Smith. Smith left in the win over the Lions with a "Significant Shoulder Issue". The last time Smith went down with an injury the Steelers struggled stopping the run which is why they went out and drafted DE Ziggy Hood in the first round. Tomlin rates Hood as a "work in progress" and states he will be part of a rotation to fill in for Smith. Hood's ability to understand his assignments may have grown in importance with the top veteran DE backup Travis Kirstche again suffering from his seasonal back issues. Steelers elected to keep Kirtsche and Nick Eason over promising 5th rounder Sunny Harris who left for more opportunity as a practice squadder in Carolina. Steelers may try to bring Harris back to the active roster but only if Kirtsche can't get his back spasms under control.
It all unfolds into a prime opportunity for Ziggy Hood. Hood is switching from his college 4-3 scheme to Lebeau's complicated 3-4. He is bigger than Smith and quicker--yet, in the 3-4 the DE is more about assignments than sack ability. Hood and the band aid backups will get a great test in their first week as replacemetns. The Cleveland Browns just got back a healthy Jamal Lewis who was their entire offense in Buffalo last week netting 117 yards on the ground with his QB DA threw for 23 measely yards. (And all the media wants to talk about is juggernaut JaMarcus Russell). DA will throw 6 picks if he brings his Buffalo game to Heinz Field on Sunday.
The Steelers need this win. The Bengals have already beat all the teams in the AFC North. Thanks to their last minute loss to the Bengals a few weeks back, the Steelers know the division is on the line--even against the lowly Browns.
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