Steelers DT Derrick Harmon ‘optimistic’ he can play Monday – but misses practice

Thursday morning, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon said he was “optimistic” he could return to game play Monday. By Thursday afternoon, some external optimism waned when Harmon was not at practice.

The Steelers’ rookie first-round pick, Harmon was missed the past two games because of a knee injury.

“I’m really just trying to take it day by day and once my number is called, getting back out there,” Harmon said. “I’m kind of getting impatient, but this is part of the game.”

Harmon’s NFL debut was delayed earlier this fall by a knee injury suffered during the preseason finale. He had played in each of his college teams’ 38 games the past three seasons at Michigan State and Oregon.

“For me it’s kind of tough because I haven’t been the type of guy that got injured a lot, then I come to the NFL and it’s happened twice in my rookie year,” Harmon said. “It’s kind of hard but it’s part of the game. I’ve got to stay optimistic and stay the course.”

Harmon said this knee injury – apparently suffered during a Nov. 23 loss at the Chicago Bears – is not related to the one suffered during a Aug. 21 preseason game in Carolina. But that each was to the same (right) knee.

Though Harmon is only a rookie, he has started each of the Steelers’ past four games he played. The numbers suggest Harmon is central to the team’s rushing defense – in the nine games he’s played, the Steelers allow 96.0 rushing yards per game; in the four he’s missed, that number almost exactly doubles (191.3).

“I try not to look into that, man,” Harmon said when alerted of this. “When I’m playing games, I play my best ball and help the team win.”

Harmon could be of use to the Steelere because Monday’s opponent, the Miami Dolphins, has the NFL’s No. 8 rushing offense (126.4 yards per game). Miami’s De’Von Achane is the individual league leader in yards per carry in (5.8).

The Steelers have allowed 466 rushing yards over the past two games, but Harmon sees signs the unit is coming together.

“Truthfully, I feel like as a unit, as a defense, we’re playing together, we’re doing our jobs together, guys are doing our assignments,” he said. “We’ve really just got to continue to do it at a high level.”