SportsXchange tells of returning Steelers

The SportsXchange reports:

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expects linebacker James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles barring any setbacks.

Tomlin also indicated that running back Rashard Mendenhall (knee) could be back on the field Sunday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Mendenhall has not played this season after suffering an ACL tear last year.
Harrison (knee) went through a full practice Monday. He did so last Tuesday but had a "little setback" and skipped Wednesday's practice. He has not played yet this season.

Polamalu (calf) went through a third straight practice Monday after missing the past two games.
Tomlin anticipates that Mendenhall will practice this week but didn't say whether he'd start or how much playing time he would get Sunday. The Steelers have used Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer in the backfield.

Eagles-Steelers Preview

By BRETT HUSTON (STATS Editor) | The Associated Press

As fortunate as they may have seemed at the time, it's hard to argue with the Philadelphia Eagles' results so far.

The Pittsburgh Steelers would be happy to settle for winning ugly.

The Steelers should get Troy Polamalu, James Harrison and Rashard Mendenhall back as they look to avoid falling in a 1-3 hole Sunday against the visiting Eagles.

Philadelphia (3-1) has been outscored by 17 points through four games, but it has a pair of one-point wins and a two-point victory to thank for its winning record. It's trailed at the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter in all three wins.

The Steelers, meanwhile, have blown fourth-quarter leads in both of their defeats, watching a 10-point cushion disappear in a 34-31 overtime loss in Oakland on Sept. 23 before a bye week.

"There's no panic in here," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "It's still a marathon, but we need to get a win."

They'll have some help Sunday as they try to avoid falling to 1-3 for the first time since 2006 - their last non-winning season. Polamalu, who's missed the last two games with a strained calf, and Harrison, who's yet to play due to a lingering left knee problem, are expected to return to a defense that's produced five sacks and allowed opponents to convert 48.5 percent of third downs - both among the league's four worst.

Having two former Defensive Players of the Year back should help, but to safety Ryan Clark, their additions mean little if the defense can't produce.

===/===

I think that the Pittsburgh Steelers will come out of this game as the victor, my guess is that they beat the Eagles 24-21
- - Oh Zee

Peyton and the Broncos defeat Steelers in Season Opener

The Pittsburgh Steelers played a great game tonight, with the only negative to come out of this match-up, was it's result. A "L," starts the season off on the wrong foot at 0-1.

The officiating crew for the first Sunday Night Football game of the 2012 regular season was noticeable, however the blunders didn't help either team, because both the Steelers and the Broncos could have won the game in the final five minutes.

Tonight was Peyton Manning's first game in nearly a year and a half, and he looked good for his age. His accuracy is still present, and mobility didn't seem to be a factor. All in all, Peyton played the better game between him and Ben Roethlisberger, who finished the Steelers chance of winning when his pass was picked off by Tracy Porter, who took it 43 yards yards to put the game-sealing TD up on the scoreboard.

The final stats Ben Roethlisberger posted was 22 of 40 for 245 yards and two TDs.

The Steelers will definately bounce back in week 2.

Steelers OLB James Harrison Will Not Play In Week 1

Steelers OLB James Harrison Will Not Play In Week 1
by Neal Coolong on Sep 7, 2012 1:54 PM EDT

The Post Gazette is reporting Steelers LB James Harrison will not play in Pittsburgh's Week 1 opener at Denver.

His absence means second-year OLB Chris Carter will make his first professional start, opposite LaMarr Woodley, in front of the hostile Mile High crowd.

It's certainly a loss for the Steelers. They missed Harrison for much of the 2012 season, and their once suffocating run defense showed cracks at times throughout the year - both with and without Harrison.

Carter has been practicing with the first team for almost the entire preseason, as Harrison recovered from the injury that's holding him out of Week 1. The Steelers said if Harrison showed enough improvement he would play in Week 1, but he didn't practice Thursday and sat out of much of Wednesday's practice.

One advantage the Broncos could have is power-running to the offensive left side - or, right at Carter - to see how they will respond without Harrison. It's the kind of play that can set up play-action very well, another advantage the Broncos can use to help Peyton Manning complete throws down the field.

Week 1 Coverage: Ike Taylor | Rainey Return Man | Depth Chart | Wallace Will Start | Broncos 29, Steelers 23 | 5 Burning Questions | Ben



A tweet from Harrison posted at 1:03 p.m. ET, approximately one hour before the Post-Gazette report surfaced, indicated Harrison didn't practice, but he thought his participation would be "a game-time decision."

James Harrison
✔
@jharrison9292
Didn't make practice today, looks like it will be a game time decision.
7 Sep 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
Players who miss Friday's practices don't typically play in Sunday games due to the lack of preparation and the team's need to move on with implementing the game plans.

It's certainly a situation the Steelers have been prepared for. Harrison's lack of work this preseason puts him at a conditioning disadvantage, among everything else.

His status for Week 2 will likely be a decision made late in the week as well.