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Steelers injury report: Woodley, Keisel will play if they can practice Tuesday

The participation in the Steelers game vs. Baltimore Thursday night for LaMarr Woodley and Brett Keisel will depend on their ability to practice fully Tuesday.

By Neal Coolong
Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Short weeks force teams to make early decisions on injured players.

In the Steelers' case, heading into a Thursday Night game against Baltimore, they'll give only one shot to outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley and defensive end Brett Keisel. They both have today's practice to show they will be able to compete at a high level. If not, it's the bench for the third consecutive game for both of them.

That seems to be the likely outcome, considering neither could play just two days ago. It wouldn't be surprising, though, to learn they were maybe good enough to play in Week 12, but the team elected to get them as close to 100 percent for the short-week game, when they wouldn't be as beat up as their teammates, or their opponents.

Baltimore has to prepare on the same short week, so it's not like there are valid excuses available. The Steelers defense has been hit and miss in the absence of both players, but the returns of both would be better than their absences.

Rookie safety Shamarko Thomas is in the same boat, still working through a sprained ankle suffered in Week 10. Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester doesn't look likely to play Thursday.

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