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Early Sunday evening the Pittsburgh Steelers revealed their list of inactive players for the team’s primetime AFC Wildcard showdown against the Cleveland Browns. The list is headlined by third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs, who has been inactive for every game this year except for the season finale vs. the Browns.
Head coach Mike Tomlin & Co. did give some consideration to utilizing Dobbs in this game, but has since explained why he wasn’t inclined to do so.
Dobbs is joined on the inactive list by two rookies—running back Anthony McFarland Jr. (fourth round) and safety Antoine Brooks Jr. (sixth round)—apparently preferring to go with more experienced options at those two positions.
Also on the list is defensive end Isaiah Buggs and linebacker Jayrone Elliott, as well as offensive guard Danny Isidora. The Steelers signed Isidora off the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs in mid-December but he has yet to appear in a game with Pittsburgh.
Cleveland Browns Inactives
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s inactive list includes seven players. It doesn’t include right guard Wyatt Teller and right tackle Jack Conklin, the former of whom was questionable with an ankle injury and the latter questionable due to illness. Also active is wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, who suffered a concussion last week on a hit by Steelers backup safety Sean Davis.
Cleveland’s inactives are:
WR Marvin Hall
SS Jovante Moffatt
S Tedric Thompson
OT Alex Taylor
WR JaMarcus Bradley
DE Joe Jackson
Former Steelers cornerback Brian Allen is also inactive. The Browns signed Allen off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad less than a week ago. Allen, 27, was a fifth-round pick of the Steelers in 2017 (No. 173 overall) out of Utah.
He appeared in 16 games for the Steelers in 2017-18, playing exclusively on special teams. He has since spent time with the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills & San Francisco 49ers, and started one game for the 49ers this season. Allen has recorded six career tackles.
Cincinnati added Allen to its practice squad in early November and he was on the Reserve/COVID-19 list between December 21st and January 1st.
Steelers and Ravens on Course to Meet For a Third Time This Season?
If Pittsburgh beats Cleveland on Sunday night, it will advance to play at Buffalo next weekend. In that case, the Baltimore Ravens—who defeated the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon by a score of 20-13—will visit the Kansas City Chiefs next weekend. If Baltimore and Pittsburgh were to win their respective road games, the two clubs would play for the AFC Championship at Heinz Field.
It’s perhaps worth noting that the Ravens defense danced on the Tennessee logo near the end of the game on Sunday. When the teams met in Baltimore during the regular season, Titans players gathered at midfield on the Ravens logo during pregame warmups, which attracted the attention of Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
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Steelers Wildcard Inactives Include QB, 2 Rookies