While safety Troy Polamalu was announced as active for the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in the day, coach Mike Tomlin listed cornerback Ike Taylor as out for the Wild Card game vs. the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night at Heinz Field. Taylor has a shoulder/arm injury and has missed a good portion of the season. Also out, as a bit of a surprise, is veteran WR Lance Moore.
For Baltimore, tackle Eugene Monroe and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan are among those inactive. The Ravens are, at this point in the season, relatively healthy. They are, however, thin on the defensive line, even with the return of Haloti Ngata from suspension.
STEELERS inactives:
QB Landry Jones, RB Le’Veon Bell, WR Lance Moore, TE Michael Palmer, G Chris Hubbard, DE Clifton Geathers, CB Ike Taylor
RAVENS inactives:
TE Phillip Supernaw, T Eugene Monroe, DE Steven Means, DT Timmy Jernigan, DT Terrence Cody, DT Casey Walker, CB Chris Greenwood
WEATHER:
Temperatures are in the mid-to-upper 40s, warmer than it has been all day in the hours before kickoff. Showers are expected throughout the evening, heavy at times. Weather will definitely play an impact on the game, as can only be expected at Heinz Field in January.
NOTES:
– Baltimore and Pittsburgh have had three previous meetings in the playoffs, all in Pittsburgh (2002, 2009, 2011) and all resulting in Steelers victories.
– Ravens QB Joe Flacco has never lost a Wild Card playoff game and is 3-0 on the road in such games.
– Pittsburgh has showed up best against teams winning records this season, going 6-1 against such opponents, best in the NFL.
– The vaunted Steelers offense was the first since the 1999 Indianapolis Colts to have the conference-leading passer, rusher and receiver on its roster, and only the third team ever to do so since the 1970 merger.
The winner of this AFC Wild Card matchup will go to Denver’s Sports Authority Field at Mile High next Sunday, January 11, to play the Broncos at 4:40 pm ET on CBS.
