Steelers escape their game against Chiefs without injury

If you’re looking for a silver lining in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, it might be the news that the team appeared to escape the contest without suffering any new injuries. When speaking to reporters after the game, Mike Tomlin’s update about the squad’s health was the only positive aspect of his press conference.

“Some bumps and bruises associated with play, but nothing significant from an injury standpoint to mention.”

Given that Vance McDonald played in his first game action since January after missing most of training camp, it should be considered something of a minor miracle that he managed to play an entire 60 minutes of football without hurting himself, even if his snaps were limited at times.

With three players forced to miss the game due to injury, the coaching staff will be hoping that at least one or two of them are able to return in time to face the high-flying Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. With Ryan Fitzpatrick playing some of the best football of his career through the first two weeks of the season, having a healthy Joe Haden back on the field would be a major boost, and the cornerback offered some hope he might not be sidelined too long on Sunday via Twitter.

It’s worth noting that Haden appeared to be the only notable injury the team suffered in the immediate aftermath of the game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 but, by Monday, it was apparent that David DeCastro had fractured his hand and Tyson Alualu was dealing with a shoulder problem too, so nothing is guaranteed at this stage.

While he would return later in the game, James Conner could be seen receiving treatment on his leg during the second half. With it being impossible to tell what exactly was bothering him, the issue might have simply been a cramp, rather than anything more serious. But it’ll be worth waiting for more updates on Monday before assuming all is well.

Reporting no adverse issues with his elbow after the game, despite missing two days of practice earlier in the week, Ben Roethlisberger will be another one to keep an eye on early in the week to make sure he’s not going to be limited on Monday. With an extra day of rest before they face Tampa Bay, it can only be hoped that will be enough time for any injured players time to recover.