Safety Ryan Clark sustained a concussion early in the third quarter against the Washington Redskins and did not return. However, Clark expects to play next weekend against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
“Thanks for the prayers and well wishes!!” Clark wrote on Twitter. “I’m good, I’ll be back out there on Sunday against the Giants! Takes more than that.”
Clark took a blow to the head while tackling running back Alfred Morris.
• The Steelers’ defense was challenged early by the league’s top running game. Morris, the NFL’s second-leading rusher, gained nine yards on his first carry. Then linebackers Larry Foote and James Harrison sealed the holes, and Morris lost three yards on two carries. The Redskins, leading the league with 177.7 yards rushing per game, finished with a season-low 86 yards. Morris was checked to a season-low 59 yards on 13 carries. “Our focus was to stop the run and make them one-dimensional,” Harrison said. “We wanted to contain (quarterback Robert Griffin III) so he couldn’t run around and make a bunch of plays with his legs. He handled himself well, but you can’t have a spectacular game every week. We just executed our plan better.”
• Leonard Pope hadn’t figured into the passing game all season. Until Sunday, he had only one reception that covered seven yards. But he capped the Steelers’ first drive — a 12 play, 76-yard scoring march — with a 1-yard touchdown catch. The Redskins weren’t overly concerned with Pope on fourth down. Instead, they stacked the box to shut down running back Jonathan Dwyer, and they tied up tight end Heath Miller, who caught two of three passes tossed his way on the drive.
• The Steelers’ special teams went nearly three quarters without a penalty until cornerback Curtis Brown was flagged for an illegal block to erase Antonio Brown’s 78-yard punt return for a score. Then, Brandon Banks returned a punt 27 yards to the Steelers’ 42. Still, it was a better effort by the special teams. Defensive end Ziggy Hood blocked an extra point attempt, and Brown downed the ball at the Washington 1 late in the second quarter.
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/2820503-85/yards-steelers-clark-game-morris-quarter-season-yard-running-brown#ixzz2AfuYGEup
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