Team news: Pittsburgh Steelers

Pat Freiermuth is in the concussion protocol.

Related players: Zach Gentry

With Eric Ebron out of commission, Gentry would be next up for the Black and Gold. It's possible Freiermuth can clear protocol by Sunday. The Steelers play a later afternoon game in Week 13.

Steelers TE Eric Ebron is expected to miss extended time as he braces for potential knee surgery, per source.

Related players: Pat Freiermuth

Ebron, who got injured Week 11, is waiting on a second opinion but a procedure is the likely approach as of now, the tweet went on to say. Ebron was coming off a 3-29-1 game in Week 11. He was targeted three times in the contest, his highest all season. Freiermuth remains cemented as the team's TE1.

Pittsburgh's offense took a step back with Mason Rudolph in command last Sunday in an overtime tie against Detroit. Ben was unable to travel with the team but has been activated and head coach Mike Tomlin stated he will start.

This is a boost to all the Steelers' offensive weapons when they face the run funneling defense of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Steelers WR Chase Claypool (toe) was back at practice in a limited fashion Wednesday.

Related Players: James Washington, Ray-Ray McCloud

The Steelers need all the offensive firepower than can get as they head into a Sunday Night matchup against the top-ranked team in aFPA against wide receivers.

It sure sounds like as long as Ben Roethlisberger is cleared before the Steelers take off Saturday, and is physically fit enough to play, he will start.

Related players: Mason Rudolph

Pro Football Talk reported yesterday there was a chance Big Ben would miss Week 11 as well, so we'll likely have to wait this out until the weekend. HC Mike Tomlin says the game plan doesn't change from one QB to the other: "It's not like Mason Rudolph runs 4.4," he said.

There’s a good chance that Ben Roethlisberger will miss Week 11’s trip to face the Chargers as well and the Steelers will need more than a chance to win that game in order to boost their position in the AFC playoff race.

Related players: Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins

If that's the case, it would appear Rudolph gets another chance to start in Week 11. The story said Rudolph did what the team expected him to do, which was give them a chance to win against the Lions, which ended in a tie. Rudolph was thrown in when Big Ben tested positive for COVID on Saturday so he didn't have a lot of time to prep. Rudolph probably did enough to earn the start over Haskins if Ben isn't cleared for Week 11.

starting quarterback Jared Goff suffered a strained oblique late in the first quarter.

Goff said he injured his side on an underthrown deep pass to Kalif Raymond one play after Julian Okwara intercepted Steelers starter Mason Rudolph.

Goff had minus-1 yard passing in the first quarter and was 11 for 20 for 54 yards passing in regulation.

He finished 14 of 25 for 114 yards as the Lions and Steelers tied on a rainy day at Heinz Field, 16-16.

Related players: David Blough, Tim Boyle

The Lions felt Goff was OK enough to play through the injury. Goff is backed up by Blough but Boyle recently came off the IR and reports say the Lions do like Boyle. It appears Goff is likely not in the long-term plans for the Lions but reports last week said the team is prepared to ride out Goff for the rest of this year as well as 2022. The numbers were pretty bad against the Steelers, however the problem seems to be Goff is the best option at the moment.

Roethlisberger recently claimed he is vaccinated so this will most likely hold him out for only a week. Mason Rudolph is slotted to start at quarterback and shouldn’t have too big of an impact on the supporting offensive unit.

Steelers WR Chase Claypool (toe) will not play Week 10 against the Detroit Lions.

Related Players: James Washington, Pat Freiermuth

This was expected as Claypool's injury is considered week-to-week.