Nelson caught a quick hitch to the right side on second and 5 at the Pittsburgh 25 on the game’s opening possession.
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Nelson limped off the field after making a leaping catch in the first quarter and did not return.
Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers’ All-Pro center, is expected to miss eight weeks because of an injury to his left ankle sustained early in the 24-19 preseason victory over the Packers Sunday at Heinz Field.
The play that may change the course of Green Bay’s season started innocently enough.
But the good news – if there is such a thing when you lose a Pro Bowl player on an offense that had record-setting potential before the season begins – is that the Packers do have a host of pass-catching skill-position players at their disposal, assuming they all stay healthy. “I do not know what his standing shall be”. Here’s hoping the diagnosis is wrong, but if not, good luck in rehab, Jordy.
“He got rolled up on but he walked it off”, Steelers right tackler Marcus Gilbert said. “Once he got carted off, it struck me”.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers expressed equal parts frustration and mystification.
Green Bay’s first drive went 10 plays for 80 yards and was capped by an Eddie Lacy 7-yard touchdown run.
Rodgers threw a surprising 19 passes in the preseason opener against New England last week. At 6-3, Nelson is the Packers’ big-play threat on the perimeter.
The Green Bay Packers, who have won four consecutive NFC North crowns, have stacked those successes with a simple philosophy: Next Man Up. “This is a sport where we’re all going to be injured at some point”.
The Steelers took a 9-8 lead after Roethlisberger hit Markus Wheaton five yards out. The rookie Montgomery, a third-round pick, has proven to be a quick study and can probably play on the edge or in the slot. He had 91 catches for 1287 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Landry Jones fired touchdown passes of 22 yards to Tyler Murphy and 20 yards to Shakim Phillips in the 4th quarter to lead the Pittsburgh comeback at home.
Nelson wasn’t the only Packer to sustain an injury, T.J. Lang and Scott Tolzien were being evaluated for concussions. Linebacker Adrian Hubbard and cornerback Damarious Randall were treated with IV fluids due to dehydration. KDKA sideline reporter Rich Walsh speculated that Pouncey’s injury was to his left ankle.
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For the first time this preseason, the Steelers’ special teams were manned by numerous veterans who have held these critical jobs over the previous couple of years. This spring, McCarthy called him the MVP of the offseason after Rodgers said he has a “humongous upside, and he’s starting to reach that upside”.
