BALTIMORE — Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Ben Skowronek (back) both exited Saturday’s 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens with injuries. Porter returned in the second half before being ruled out for the rest of the game. Skowronek returned in the second half and did not leave.
Porter Jr. suffered a knee injury in the first quarter after a Derrick Henry run. Porter was also dealing with his pain in his calf, but it was officially ruled as a knee injury.
Porter was down on the field for a while before walking off the field with assistance from the team’s medical staff.
The Steelers were already thin in the secondary with cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) sidelined for Saturday’s game.
With veteran Jackson inactive, James Pierre received first-team reps. Pierre received starting reps over second-year cornerback Cory Trice Jr., who has been a healthy scratch since returning from injured reserve on Dec. 5. Trice replaced Porter once he exited the game.
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Skowronek suffered a hip injury late in the first quarter. He had two receptions for 26 before suffering the injury. Both of Skowronek’s receptions came on the Steelers’ 10-play, 73-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 7-7. Skowronek got the drive started with a 17-yard reception from Russell Wilson.
Wilson then connected to Sworonek for a first down on third-and-7. Skoronek limped off the field after making the grab to move the chains.
The Steelers are a banged-up unit right now, and they have a short turnaround with playing the 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday. Along with Jackson and Elliott, wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring), quarterback Justin Fields (abdomen) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were ruled out for Saturday’s game.
Pickens missed his third consecutive game on Saturday due to a hamstring injury, but NFL insider Albert Breer revealed that the Steelers expect him to return for the team’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day at Acrisure Stadium.
“He is running and he did make an effort for doctors to clear him, ultimately, that didn’t happen,” Breer said on Amazon Prime after Thursday night’s Broncos-Chargers game. “He won’t play but they’re optimistic that he’ll be able to go Christmas Day against the Chiefs.”
Pickens did not participate in practice this week, but he did do workouts off to the side. On Tuesday, Pickens took part in a ball security drill with his teammates just 10 days after suffering an injured hamstring in practice that caused him to miss each of the last three games.
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