The Pittsburgh Steelers are dealing with critical health issues as they prepare for a high-stakes Wild Card showdown against the rival Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
The team’s Pro Bowl kicker, Chris Boswell, has missed practice time this week due to illness.
Boswell’s absence is particularly concerning, as he has been one of the most reliable kickers in the NFL this season.
He leads the league with 41 successful field goals on 44 attempts and has been flawless on all 35 extra-point kicks.
Veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward is also battling similar symptoms.
The shaky status of both players adds to the Steelers’ challenges ahead of a matchup where they are already heavy 10-point underdogs.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Pittsburgh, which is trying to break out of a four-game losing streak to finish the regular season.
Head coach Mike Tomlin emphasized his willingness to explore every strategy to secure a win, including potentially increasing the role of quarterback Justin Fields, who joined the Steelers after his stint with the Chicago Bears.
Fields acknowledged the advantage his mobility could bring, even if only as a decoy.
“I think for me, just being able to utilize with my legs and stuff, that causes the defense to watch film on that, really just waste time on it whether we’re planning on running it or not. So, I think it’s definitely a plus for us,” Fields said.
Tomlin echoed Fields’ sentiments, indicating flexibility in the game plan.
“I’m certainly open to utilizing Justin,” Tomlin said. “He has an awesome skill set. We’ve done some of that in the past. We’ve done less of it in recent weeks. He experienced an injury a couple of weeks back that slowed some of that.
“But certainly, in an effort to win this game, I am open to any combination or combinations of the division of labor in an effort to do so, and so I’m certainly open to that as we develop plans this week.”
According to reports, Boswell is cleared to play – not that there was much doubt about that.
Having said that, it remains to be seen just how much – if at all – his illness will affect him.
One thing is for sure, if the Steelers are to have any hope at pulling off the upset, they’re going to need Boswell to carry his weight.
Just how concerned should Pittsburgh fans be???
