No Polamalu: Steelers need Timmons back to full health

With Troy Polamalu sidelined for at least the next three weeks, Lawrence Timmons role in the Steelers defense becomes that much more important.

Timmons missed the Steelers opener with an high ankle sprain and the Steelers will be counting on him to return to the starting the lineup in week 2. Like Polamalu, Timmons gives the Steelers plenty of options due to his athleticism.

The Steelers next three opponents feature quarterbacks (CHI) Jay Cutler, (CIN) Carson Palmer and (SD)Phillip Rivers.

Safety Tyrone Carter is no Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark struggled at times when Polamalu left the game. Cutler will be looking Carter’s way early and often next Sunday.

An healthy Timmons will be the key.

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*Finally Ben Roethlisberger is getting some praise from the national media. Just because he’s not a fantasy football quarterback he is overlooked.

Roethlisberger saw the field extremely well Thursday night and the Steelers now have a number of weapons for Roethlisberger in the passing game.

That was a very good defense the Steelers were going up against Thursday night and the way Roethlisberger performed with absolutely no running game, shows how special of a player he is.

*Santonio Holmes had 9 receptions for 131 yards and one TD against the Titans. His route running was excellent and he’s an emerging star in this league.

*A surprising turn of events in the game was the limited playing time for 2nd year wide out Limas Sweed. Sweed rarely saw the field as Mike Wallace took the majority of reps as the No. 3 receiver.

The Steelers plan to use both and won’t be naming a No. 3 receiver anytime soon.

Wallace did a solid job of stretching the field and made a key grab in overtime.

*The offensive line struggled run blocking but Willie Parker also made a number of poor reads. Can’t put all of the blame on the O-Line.

The team doesn’t feel Rashard Mendenhall is running hard enough. He only had four carries in the game for six yards.

Mike Tomlin will not be patient with the running game. Mewelde Moore could see some significant playing time for a 3rd down back due to his ability to catch the ball out of the back field.

The Steelers scouting staff will have a close eye on the Bears/Packers matchup Sunday. The Steelers travel to Chicago next weekend and host the Packers later in the season.

Steelers/Titans scored a 13.8 overnight rating and a 23 share, beating the 2003 mark of 14.5 and equaling the share, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Those numbers were up 37 percent from the 2008 opener (Giants-Redskins, 10.1/17), which started early to allow coverage of the Republican Convention, and up 6 percent from 2007 (Colts-Saints, 13.0/21).

James Harrison isn’t losing any sleep over the talk of a cheap shot on Titans tight end Bo Scaife.