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Inactives for @Steelers: QB Jones, WR JBrown, SS Thomas, CB Webb, LB Shazier, T Gilbert, NT McLendon
— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) November 30, 2014
My mistake on @Steelers inactives: Cortez Allen is inactive; Shamarko Thomas is active
— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) November 30, 2014
Cornerback Ike Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu are back, but Cortez Allen, Steve McLendon and Marcus Gilbert won't play when the Steelers take on the New Orleans Saints.
Mike Adams will get his second start this season, filling in for Gilbert, who missed most of practice this week with an ankle injury.
Taylor will play his first snaps vs. the Saints since injuring his forearm in the game with the Carolina Panthers in Week 3. Joining Taylor is fellow 2003 draftee Polamalu. Polamalu and Taylor return to the lineup at a crucial time as the Steelers face one of the league's premier quarterbacks in Drew Brees.
Allen won't dress because of recent surgery on his broken thumb. But since he wouldn't likely have played any defensive snaps in any event, not having Allen won't affect the Steelers' game plan.
The Steelers will be without nose tackle Steve McLendon once again against the Saints. McLendon hasn't fully recovered from a shoulder injury and Daniel McCullers will most likely take his place in the starting lineup once again this week.
Linebacker Ryan Shazier joins McLendon as a player who couldn't quite make it back from injury this week and will miss another week with an ankle injury. Linebackers Sean Spence and Vince Williams will split snaps opposite to Lawrence Timmons once again this week.
Neither quarterback Landry Jones nor wide receiver Justin Brown will receive a hat this week, as both remain on the inactive list as healthy scratches.