Essex may get start at left guard for Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the practice field Thursday in preparation for their week 15 Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. The first official injury report of the week was released on Thursday and it shows that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle), center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle), wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), linebacker Chris...

Scott Brown is reporting via Twitter that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians announced today during his session with the media that veteran Charlie Batch would start Monday night at quarterback against the San Francisco 49ers should starter Ben Roethlisberger not be able to play with his sprained left ankle. Arians also said that Trai Essex would get the start...

The Pittsburgh Steelers were once again on the practice field Friday getting ready for their week 15 game Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. The Friday injury report is now out and once again center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle), wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), safety Troy Polamalu (hamstring), linebacker Chris Carter (hamstring) all did not participate...

There are just 5 days left in the 2011 Pro Bowl voting and the latest update of votes shows that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace has fallen out of the top 10 since we last updated on December 1st. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger remains in the top 10, but has slipped down to 10th place in overall votes with 745,835. Center Maurkice Pouncey still leads the AFC center...

Jon Linder of WQAM in Miami, Florida, told me tonight via Twitter that he talked to Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey today and asked him about the injury status of his twin bother, Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, and Mike told him, "I think my brother's gonna have to sit out this week." Maurkice injured his left ankle in the first half of the Thursday...

Steelers linebacker James Harrison is having his appeal hearing on his one-game suspension. The hearing, via video conference call Wednesday, is being conducted by Ted Cottrell, who was hired by the league and the NFL Players Association to oversee such appeals. No decision is expected until Thursday at the earliest.

The Pittsburgh Steelers look certain not to have linebacker James Harrison Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers, because of his one game suspension handed down on Tuesday, but the 49ers are looking like they will once again be without the services of their best linebacker Patrick Willis as well. Willis, who reportedly has a Grade 2 hamstring strain, did not play last week...

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger watched practice on Wednesday to rest his sprained left ankle, and backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon said they are preparing to play next Monday against San Francisco.

The NFL has denied James Harrison's appeal of a one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy, and the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker will sit out Monday night's game against San Francisco.

The NFL has denied James Harrison's appeal of a one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could be without five of their best players when they play the 49ers on Monday night in a crucial game for both teams. All five have been Pro Bowlers, and the list includes star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and two of the past three NFL defensive players of the year from a Pittsburgh defense currently ranked second in the league – two spots ahead of the Niners.