The Steelers are counting on other players to step up while Fitzpatrick is out.

The Steelers are counting on other players to step up while Fitzpatrick is out.

Getting used to life without All-Pro safety They will have a hard time with Minkah Fitzpatrick on the field.

And the fact that they only have a few days to get ready to play with no Fitzpatrick before the next match makes it extra hard.

The Steelers (4-3) don’t have much time to recover from last Sunday’s 20-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars because the Tennessee Titans (3-4) are coming for Acrisure Stadium Thursday night.

The loss of Fitzpatrick over this game is the worst of these cuts. After getting hurt in the leg, the Steelers’ star back left the game against the Jaguars on the first play of Jacksonville’s next possession and did not come back.

He has already been ruled out for Thursday night’s game between the Steelers and the Titans.

At a UPMC Rooney Sports Center on Tuesday, Steelers defensive coach Teryl Austin said, “We have a lot of guys who will have to step up.”

It’s our job this short month to try to put the guys in the best situation to play according to their strengths.

They’ll have to do some new things. It’s hard, though. You’re never going to be like that person.

“That person is very skilled and does many things. We will do it by committee, and we hope that the group is in the right place to let you do a good job.

Both players have been around for a long time and have played a lot this season. Kazee has played 381 defensive snaps and Neal 308; their presence allowed Fitzpatrick to carry out a lot of different defensive tasks for the Steelers.

Along with his regular tasks as a free safety, Fitzpatrick frequently stays locked up on the other team’s best receiver, which has given both Kazee and Neal chances to play safety-specific roles.

However, Kazee and Neal are likely to receive more snaps and more responsibility without Fitzpatrick in the field.

Neal made seven tackles and dropped a pass against Jacksonville. Kazee had five stops and a pick.

“It must be a different animal, right?” Killebrew asked in a questioning way. “That’s a whole different game with special teams.” But it’s still running while tackling at the end of the day.

Football isn’t that hard to understand. Just make sure we don’t play a strategic game and that we both talk and see things the same way.

That’s kind of how Riley is. One of the Steelers’ most important special teams players has only played 30 defensive snaps in two seasons in the team. He works best as a deep or free safety in a slot or nickel role.

Riley told him and Killebrew, “Obviously, we go into it with somewhat more readiness.” “As ‘teamers,’ we don’t work with the defense as much in practice during the week.” This week, we need to get ready in this way.

Because star back Minkah Fitzpatrick hurt his leg, the Pittsburgh Steelers are forced to make changes to their defense.

Teryl Austin, the team’s defensive coach, thinks that the other players will step up and cover the void that Fitzpatrick left.

Fitzpatrick will be replaced at free safety by Damontae Kazee, who will play with Keanu Neal. Both players are expected to receive more playing time and more responsibility.

They will try to stop the run and make rookie quarterback Would Levis unhappy when they play the Tennessee Titans, who like to run the ball.

Fitzpatrick played in the home game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, but the next day he started the COVID-19 procedure. Teams are not allowed to say if their players have been vaccinated.

That is, Fitzpatrick would have to be without symptoms and submit to two negative tests that are 24 hours apart for it to be true.

The defensive back who makes plays could be absent for at least 10 days if he doesn’t get vaccinations.

As of Tuesday, Steelers leader Mike Tomlin said that he “doesn’t anticipate” having Fitzpatrick in his lineup for Sunday’s game against the Chargers of Los Angeles on the road.

He also said the Steelers might use more than one player to play different defensive roles like Fitzpatrick did.