Injuries abound as Steelers visit Chargers on SNF

Two AFC teams coming off close losses meet Sunday night when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chargers (2-3) have an advantage, though: They aren't lining the training room tables with quite as many new bodies lately as the Steelers (1-4).

While Los Angeles has 16-year veteran Philip Rivers taking snaps under center, Pittsburgh still doesn't know who will start at quarterback, or even when that will be determined. Mason Rudolph, elevated to Steelers starter after Ben Roethlisberger had season-ending elbow surgery, got knocked unconscious during Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss against Baltimore.

He is in concussion protocol this week, but was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday. "It was great. I could tell he was feeling really well," said Devlin Hodges, who made his NFL debut after a wobbly Rudolph left the field and seemed poised while completing 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards and rushing twice for 20 yards.

Over the past month, Hodges has been cut, on the practice squad, the backup and then -- at least for part of one game and perhaps moving forward -- the starter. "I tell everyone I think it kind of fits who I am," Hodges said. "I never once (thought) ... I couldn't be here.

"It's crazy, especially being gone in Week 1 ... then with Ben going down, being brought up and Mason getting a concussion last week and going in. It's just a crazy process." Two other components of the Steelers' offense are out. Running back Jaylen Samuels -- who has been used at times in the wildcat formation -- had arthroscopic knee surgery this week and is out for a month, and receiver James Washington is expected to miss the Chargers game because of a shoulder injury.

Already with several injuries earlier this season, Los Angeles' health problems worsened Wednesday. In a big blow, starting center Mike Pouncey -- twin brother of Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey -- was placed on injured reserve, will need neck surgery and is out for the year. The team signed interior offensive lineman Ryan Groy.

On the bright side, tight end Hunter Henry (knee) returned to practice on a limited basis, but defensive end Melvin Ingram and running back Justin Jackson remain out. Rivers hardly had his best game in a 20-13 loss at Denver last Sunday. He completed 32 of 48 pass attempts, but his average of 4.4 yards per throw was the fifth-worst of his career and worst since 2007.

"'Struggling' is fair to use, I think mostly in putting points on the scoreboard," Rivers said of his team's offense. "That one (last week) you can chalk up as just a bad day. We had a bad day. I had a bad day ... We've got to find a way to get it turned around." Perhaps Rivers will get some help from running back Melvin Gordon, if he can shake some rust.

Gordon made his season debut at Denver after a contract holdout. He ran often, but not all that far -- 31 yards on 12 carries -- as the Chargers rang up just 35 yards rushing and a season-low 246 yards of offense. "Hopefully, the cobwebs are off ... and next game I can get rolling," Gordon said.

"He's going to get a lot of opportunities to work that rust off," Los Angeles coach Anthony Lynn said. Even with Pouncey out, the game features a brother vs. brother matchup -- Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt vs. Chargers fullback Derek Watt.

 

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