{"id":77887,"date":"2019-12-13T17:13:58","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T22:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=77887"},"modified":"2021-05-30T15:25:13","modified_gmt":"2021-05-30T19:25:13","slug":"wr-juju-smith-schuster-not-expected-to-play-sunday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2019\/12\/13\/wr-juju-smith-schuster-not-expected-to-play-sunday\/","title":{"rendered":"Juju Smith-Schuster Not Expected to Play Sunday"},"content":{"rendered":"

The road to recovery hasn’t been as easy as many would have hoped<\/a> for Juju Smith-Schuster<\/strong>. According to an <\/span>ESPN report<\/span><\/a> by Steelers Insider <\/span>Brooke Pryor <\/b>early this morning, the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> wide receiver<\/span>\u00a0doesn\u2019t have a set timetable for his return to the football field. Many had been hoping to see the wide receiver in this Sunday\u2019s matchup against the <\/span>Buffalo Bills<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith-Schuster left practice early Thursday after aggravating his knee injury. He sustained both a concussion and a knee injury back in the Steelers\u2019 Week 11 loss to the <\/span>Cleveland Browns<\/a>. <\/b>\u00a0A source tells ESPN he did not return to practice today and will not be in the Pittsburgh offensive package against this week\u2019s AFC opponent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Call It a Setback<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a setback,\u201d Smith-Schuster said. \u201cYou know, just more so like I pushed myself too hard where I gotta slow myself down.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, he was marked as \u2018non-contact\u2019 after missing three consecutive games due to injury. This Wednesday marked the young wide receiver\u2019s first full return to practice since being injured. As much as he wanted to hit the ground running, his progress was halted when he reaggravated the injury.<\/span><\/p>\n

He told ESPN, \u201cWhen you go too hard every day, you kind of get that moment like, yeah, you\u2019ve got to slow yourself down in order to get wherever you want to get to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smith-Schuster has never been out on injury this long. Offensive coordinator <\/span>Randy Fichtner <\/b>knows just how badly the wide receiver wanted to get back on the field. He told ESPN on Thursday about Smith-Schuster\u2019s determination.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He was wanting to get back last week,\u201d Fichtner said. \u201cYou know, injuries. He\u2019s got all the enthusiasm and energy and effort and want to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A Need for Playmakers<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not all bad news out in Pittsburgh. Powerhouse running back <\/span>James Conner<\/a><\/b>, who was also injured in the November 14th game in Cleveland, has been a full participant in practices since Wednesday. The Steelers have been on a three-game win streak at the hands of young talent in the offense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coach Tomlin told his weekly press conference that despite the wins his offense still needs the skills both Conner and Smith-Schuster bring to the field. When asked exactly how much the offense needed the pair of offensive talents he kept it very brief and to the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as Smith-Schuster would love to take the field alongside <\/span>Devlin Hodges<\/a> <\/b>and Conner, he\u2019s been very vocal about how proud he is of the young offensive skill players stepping up.\u00a0 Among them, <\/span>Diontae Johnson<\/a> <\/b>and <\/span>James Washington<\/a><\/b> who cameras in last week\u2019s game caught getting high praise from Smith-Schuster.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to see how far we\u2019ve come with the guys that we have on the field,\u201d said Smith-Schuster.<\/span><\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>