Dave’s Football Blog

Verron Haynes’ season is over. The Steelers have put the third-down specialist on Injured Reserve, along with backup linebacker Arnold Harrison, after both suffered torn ACLs last week in Oakland.

John Kuhn, who played for Pittsburgh during the preseason, will take Haynes’ roster spot, but guess who will probably become the third-down back for Pittsburgh this weekend? Yep, Captain Sweatpants himself, Duce Staley, is likely going to see some action.

Staley, 31, hasn’t been any good for the Steelers since that fateful day in 2004 when Rodney Harrison tore Staley’s hamstring in two with his bare hands — a move that inspired the character of D.L. Hawkins in the TV series Heroes.* Now, he’ll have to pick up the blitz that the Denver Broncos are sure to put to the increasingly sketchy Ben Roethlisberger, whose sophomore slump came a year later than expected. Bill Cowher insists it’s not Ben’s fault, and he’s half-right — just look at the Steelers’ special teams unit, if you can stomach it — but Cowher’s not the one telegraphing his passes. Roethlisberger might as well announce his targets on the stadium jumbotron.

Duce won’t get the ball much on Sunday, but he’ll have to do a lot of pass-blocking, something the offensive line can’t seem to do very well anymore. If Duce struggles with that, it could be a very long day for Steelers fans in Heinz Field.

(* - This may not actually be true.)