The good news is that the James Harrison went through a full practice this week for the first time since Labor Day.
The bad news is that Harrison's surgically repaired knee did not respond well, and he sat out the next practice, as Ed Bouchette from the Post-Gazette reported via Twitter (which ESPN subsequently picked up). As if you need to be told that, this ladies and gentleman, is really, really bad news.
Nary a season ago, linebacking was the strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Three games into the 2012 season finds linebacking bordering on being a liability.
The Steelers have mainly used third year man Jason Worilds and second year man Chris Carter in Harrison’s absence. Measured by pure stats, neither man has done much.
As tracked by Pro Football Reference, these are Chris Carter's 2012 numbers so far:
Stats of course provide an incomplete picture.
Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain has credited Chris Carter with playing well in the Steelers “almost” goal line stand in the loss to Oakland. Worilds did make some noise in Denver, but the next time he was visible was on the face mask penalty that helped keep Oakland in the game.
Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain has credited Chris Carter with playing well in the Steelers “almost” goal line stand in the loss to Oakland. Worilds did make some noise in Denver, but the next time he was visible was on the face mask penalty that helped keep Oakland in the game.
Its true the experience will benefit Carter and that the team needs the exposure with Worlids, if for no other reason than to give him every last chance to justify the faith they showed in him when they drafted him in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
While it would be welcome to see either of these men step up, Harrison can give this defense a boost in a way that neither of them is likely to do at this stage of their careers. But the odds are that Harrison will remain in street clothes for a while longer.
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