Steelers CB Joe Haden, guards Kevin Dotson, Trai Turner leave game with injuries

They didn’t lose a game Sunday, but the Pittsburgh Steelers did lose a handful of starters to injury.

In addition to T.J. Watt missing all of the fourth quarter and overtime a 16-16 tie with the winless Detroit Lions, cornerback Joe Haden and the starting guard duo of Kevin Dotson and Trai Turner were forced to leave the game and did not return because of injury.

Dotson and Turner had ankle injuries, and Haden had what coach Mike Tomlin called “a midfoot sprain.” Dotson and Haden suffered their injuries during the first half, and Turner’s came in the third quarter.

“I’ll give you an update regarding those guys on Tuesday the way that we normally do,” Tomlin said after the game, referring to his weekly news conference.

J.C. Hassenauer replaced Dotson at left guard, and Joe Haeg took over for Turner at right guard. Sunday was the first game all season in which B.J. Finney was designated as a healthy scratch. Finney was the top backup at guard; Hassenauer is a center by trade, and Haeg is known mostly as a tackle.

“He is very versatile,” Tomlin said of Haeg, who was signed over the offseason. “That’s one of the reasons why we had interest in him in free agency. He has played both tackles. He has played guard. It’s all over his resume.”

James Pierre saw increased action at outside cornerback in Haden’s stead. The Lions went run-heavy on offense, meaning the Steelers didn’t deploy three cornerbacks as much as they typically do. Justin Layne is the No. 4 cornerback on the 53-man roster, and veteran Ahkello Witherspoon the fifth option.

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