The Pittsburgh Steelers have ruled out running back DeAngelo Williams playing on Saturday in the team's Wild Card matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Williams, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, has been a big factor in Pittsburgh's offensive success this season. Backups Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman will get carries in Williams' absence.
Steelers reportedly ruled DeAngelo Williams out against Bengals
Williams is still recovering from an ankle injury and could return for the Steelers if the team gets past the Bengals.
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
The injury to Williams’ ankle initially appeared to be serious. He required assistance from athletic performance staff to get to the sideline, and he left the field on a cart. Williams did return to the sideline and was able to jog and put full weight on the ankle, but he did not return to the game. The Steelers won 28-12 and secured their postseason spot.
MRI results revealed no structural damage or fractures to Williams’ ankle or foot. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that it’s more of a foot injury than an ankle injury for Williams. The plan, according to Tomlin, was to monitor Williams’ status throughout the week in hopes that he would be cleared to play, but the team would focus on ensuring Toussaint and Todman were prepared to play if he wasn’t.
Williams will be missed by the Steelers on Saturday. He started the first two games of the 2015 season for Pittsburgh while Le’Veon Bell was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and he assumed the bulk of the Steelers’ carries after Bell suffered season-ending MCL and PCL tears against the Bengals in Week 8. Williams has 907 yards and 11 touchdowns on 200 carries, and has added 367 yards through the air this season.
Williams has been really solid for the Steelers in pass protection, too, and it’s an underrated element of his game. It’s something Williams takes great pride in, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger described Williams’ abilities in pass protection as “terrific,” via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Bengals are tied for 9th in the league with 42 sacks this season.
Toussaint spent most of the season on the Steelers practice squad before being promoted to the active roster. He has 42 yards on 18 carries this season, but he’s earned the respect of coaches and teammates. Tomlin said early in the week that Toussaint is diligent and brings a businesslike approach to preparation. “I think he’s one of those guys that everybody is excited about seeing play,” Tomlin said.
Todman will be Toussaint’s backup. Todman has 22 rushing yards on four carries this season.
The Steelers face a Bengals defense that has been stout against the run this season. Cincinnati is ranked seventh in the league, allowing just 92.3 rushing yards per game through the regular season. The Steelers had 116 yards on the ground against the Bengals in Week 8. Bell had 45 yards prior to leaving the game with his season-ending injury, and Williams had 71 yards.
The Bengals held the Steelers to just 82 yards on 24 carries when these teams met in Week 14. Williams had 76 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger added six yards on one carry.
The Steelers will travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals Saturday at 8:15 p.m. The Bengals have injury concerns of their own, with the status of starting quarterback Andy Dalton still uncertain as he works his way back from a broken thumb he suffered the last time these teams met in Cincinnati in Week 14. The Bengals won the AFC North in 2015, but they haven’t won a Wild Card playoff game since 1990. Despite postseason appearances in 2011 and 2014, the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2010, when they beat the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round and the New York Jets in the AFC Championship before losing to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.
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