On the heels of losing a defensive starter for the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play a big game Sunday down yet another starter on defense. But two offensive starters will return to their lineup for the AFC showdown against the Tennessee Titans.
Nickel cornerback Mike Hilton was ruled out of Sunday’s game. Hilton did not practice all week because of a shoulder injury suffered during last week’s victory against the Cleveland Browns.
Fullback/special-teamer Derek Watt also will not play against Tennessee, according to the injury report the Steelers released Friday.
Guard David DeCastro and receiver Diontae Jonson participated in each of this week’s practices, though, and will play Sunday after each missed the Browns game. Johnson suffered a back injury during the previous week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles; DeCastro also left that game because of an abdominal injury.
Johnson practiced fully all week. DeCastro was limited Wednesday but a full participant at practice the ensuing two days.
Starting inside linebacker Devin Bush was lost for the season because of a torn ACL suffered during the game against Cleveland. Hilton’s loss further disrupts the chemistry of a defense that ranks second in the NFL in yards allowed (285.2 per game) and third in opponent scoring (18.8).
Cameron Sutton is the next man up in slot coverage, but that potentially leaves a hole for Sutton’s role as the dime hybrid. Justin Layne saw his first NFL regular-season playing time on defense last week, although his inclusion in the gameplan could be as an outside corner when the Steelers go to six defensive backs, meaning further shuffling of positions that could include a domino effect of displacing the likes of Sutton and Steven Nelson.
Also, the Steelers could elect to deploy linebacker Ulysees Gilbert on passing downs in lieu of Robert Spillane, who replaced Bush during the Browns game.
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