Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Which positional unit comes out on top this week?
Every week, injuries and other factors force us to shuffle our positional unit rankings. Once again this week, when the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Arizona Cardinals, they will do it minus several key players. You will notice right away from this list, the defense carries this team in a major way.
Here is the gallery of our Week 14 positional unit rankings.
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Several Steelers missed practice on Wednesday.
The #Steelers practice report for Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/S6MjWiifqO
— Missi Matthews (@missi_matthews) December 4, 2019
It was time to get to work on Wednesday for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team practiced in preparation for their showdown with week with the 3-7-1 Arizona Cardinals. And it seems the Steelers could once again be shorthanded on offense.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster did not practice again on Wednesday as he continues to deal with a knee injury. The rumor mill on social media is even saying Smith-Schuster is still several weeks away. Smith-Schuster did do some straight line running today but nothing beyond that.
Running back James Conner did practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. But realistically, no one should expect Conner to play this week. With games against the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens left on the schedule, it would be better to hold Conner out and be sure he’s healthy for bigger games left on the schedule and potentially the playoffs.
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If you could have any member of the Cardinals on Pittsburgh this week, who would it be?
This week, the 7-5 Pittsburgh Steelers take on the 3-7-1 Arizona Cardinals as they look to keep their playoff hopes alive. Every week we talk about which member of the opposing team you’d like to have on the Steelers. There’s no denying the talent on the Cardinals roster isn’t overwhelming but if you could have one guy for this week’s game, who would it be.
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We included wide receiver Christian Kirk and linebacker Jordan Hicks on the list but realistically quarterback Kyler Murray is and should be the pick. He’s one of the most exciting young players in the league. Devlin Hodges is a great story but if we are just talking talent, Murray would be the man.
Cast your vote and let us know which Cardinal you would want to poach for the week and add to the Steelers.
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Pittsburgh is favored to beat Arizona on the road this week.
Last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in the awkward position of being home underdogs to the Cleveland Browns. After getting that win and moving to 7-5 on the season, the Steelers now find themselves 2.5-point road favorites over the Arizona Cardinals according to Bet MGM.
The Steelers lead the overall series 34-23-3. The last time the Steelers and Cardinals squared off, it was back in 2015 and Pittsburgh won 25-13. The most well-known matchup between these two teams was back in Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers won 27-23 and contained two of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history, both by the Steelers.
This season the Cardinals are in a state of flux. They have a new head coach in Kliff Kingsbury and rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. The Cardinals have had their struggles and currently sit at 3-7-1 and last week were officially eliminated from playoff contention. Pittsburgh is 22-4 against rookie quarterbacks under head coach Mike Tomlin.
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Pittsburgh is hoping to get Conner and Smith-Schuster back at some point.
According to Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, running back James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster are both still on the mend from their respective injuries. Conner continues to work his shoulder injury and Smith-Schuster is trying to come back from a knee injury.
Based on Tomlin’s comments, both guys are a long way from coming back but what was more troubling is Tomlin’s assertion that Conner is probably closer to getting on the field than Smith-Schuster is.
When the Steelers lost Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell this offseason, Smith-Schuster and Conner were supposed to be the guys to replace them. But it seems down the stretch it’s going to be James Washington and Benny Snell Jr., with Devlin Hodges and not Ben Roethlisberger leading this team on a playoff run.
With games coming up against the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens among the final four, you can bet the coaches will be cautious with their two top offensive stars.
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The Steelers are sticking with the hot hand at quarterback against the Cardinals.
One of the most important topics for Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin at his Tuesday press conference centered around the Steelers starting quarterback. Pittsburgh goes on the road this week to take on the Arizona Cardinals with their playoff hopes on the line.
And Tomlin announced he has decided to play the hot hand and start Devlin Hodges for a second straight game. Hodges was named the starter last week against the Cleveland Browns and got the second win of his rookie season. Hodges’ play as an undrafted rookie and essentially a guy who started his career as a training camp arm has been nothing short of remarkable.
When Ben Roethlisberger went down with an injury in the second game of the season, everyone assumed it would be Mason Rudolph who would lead the team. But right now Hodges is playing with far more confidence and has earned the confidence of the team. This was definitely the right call for a team on the cusp of the playoffs.
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There’s plenty to worry about this week against the Cardinals.
It’s been quite a ride for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. After losing Ben Roethlisberger to an elbow injury this team has fought its way back from the brink of disaster to continue holding onto the final playoff spot in the AFC with four games to play. This week the Steelers must travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals and you can’t let their 3-8-1 record. This is a talented football team. Here are the things we are worried about this week.
Despite being somewhat limited with a hamstring injury last week, Murray still represents a significant challenge for the Steelers defense. Murray is an elite athlete who leaves defenses off balance with his arm and his feet. Much like guys like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, Murray is going to push the levels of discipline of the Steelers pass rush.
