Steelers Lose Two to Injury vs. Colts

INDIANAPOLIS — Pittsburgh Steelers right guard James Daniels and Cordarrelle Patterson both suffered ankle injuries and did not return in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Outside linebacker Nick Herbig also sustained an ankle injury but he returned in the second half.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did not specifically address Daniels and Patterson’s injuries in his post-game press conference.

“We had some bumps and bruises along the way,” Tomlin said. “But that’s the nature of this thing. It didn’t determine the outcome of this game. The quality of our play, or the lack thereof, did. And I own that. We own that.”

Patterson’s injury occurred late in the second quarter after a 10-yard run to set the Steelers’ up at the Colts’ 25-yard line. George Pickens fumbled on the next play and Colts safety Julian Blackmon recovered the loose ball, however. Patterson had runs of 12, 11, 9 and 10 yards to get the Steelers deep in Colts’ territory. He also had a 14-yard reception on the drive.

Patterson finished with 43 yards rushing on six carries (7.2 average), while Najee Harris rushed for 19 yards on 13 carries (1.9 average). Fields was the Steelers’ leading rusher with 55 yards on 10 carries (5.5 average) and two touchdowns.

The Steelers came into Sunday’s game short at running back with Jaylen Warren out due to a knee injury. Aaron Shampklin was elevated for Sunday’s game to replace Warren, who was pulled from last Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Steelers chose to elevate Shampklin over veteran running back Jonathan Ward, who is also on the practice squad.

Daniels went down with an ankle injury on the offenses’ first possession of Sunday’s game. Daniels walked off the field slowly under his own power and went into the blue medical tent. He was then carted off the field.

Second-year offensive lineman Spencer Anderson replaced Daniels at right guard. On the play that Daniels’ got injured, Justin Fields completed a 17-yard pass to Calvin Austin III to move the chains on third-and-9. The Steelers’ possession ultimately stalled after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Anderson. Anderson hit a defender in the back after the play.

The Steelers were with two young guards, as rookie Mason McCormick was starting in place of injured guard Isaac Seumalo, who missed his fourth game with a preseason pectoral injury. Anderson started the first three games that Seumalo missed, but last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, McCormick got his first NFL playing time.

Patterson and Daniels’ injuries will be something to monitor throughout the week ahead of next Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. Tomlin will provide an injury update during his weekly Tuesday press conference.

Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Indianapolis.