Steelers get their wish: no more injuries

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Steelers get their wish: no more injuries
Friday, September 02, 2011
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Steelers accomplished their goal by making it through their final preseason game without serious injury.

No injuries Thursday night, but the trauma will happen for many over the next two days; coach Mike Tomlin must pare his roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. Saturday.

Many of those cuts will come today, only hours after the Steelers wrapped up their 3-1 preseason with a 33-17 victory against the Carolina Panthers.

The game was typical for a preseason finale, in which the only outcome any coach cares much about is his team's health.

Because of that, Tomlin rested more than a few starters -- 12 of the 22 regulars did not play, some because of injuries. The starters who did not play included Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall, James Harrison, James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, and the injured Bryant McFadden, Maurkice Pouncey and Ike Taylor.

All but possibly McFadden should be ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 11 in Baltimore.

The Steelers not only came out of the game healthy, they added wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and rookie cornerback Cortez Allen to the list of returnees.

Sanders, out since early in camp because of a slow-to-heal foot injury, played for the first time and caught four passes for 60 yards, all in the first half.

"It meant a lot," said Sanders, who climbed to No. 3 as a rookie last season. "I had to go out there and prove myself."

Allen, who had not played because of a hamstring injury, had good coverage and tipped a deep Jimmy Clausen pass away from receiver Armanti Edwards and into the hands of safety Will Allen for an interception. He later dropped an interception all alone and in his gut.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11245...#ixzz1WneoA28O