Jan 9, 2021
PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Steelers added two players back to their roster on Saturday, activating linebacker Robert Spillane and guard Matt Feiler off the Injured Reserve list.
Spillane and Feiler returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the last three weeks while on IR. The Steelers had 21 days to activate them and chose to do so prior to their playoff opener.
Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and defensive coordinator Keith Butler did not reveal if either Spillane or Feiler will start against the Browns. Rookie Kevin Dotson replaced Feiler, while former Jet Avery Williamson has started in place of Spillane.
Pittsburgh Steelers activate LB Robert Spillane, G Matt Feiler from injured reserve
PITTSBURGH Reinforcements are coming for the Pittsburgh Steelers at exactly the right time.
The Steelers on Saturday activated two players from injured reserve: linebacker Robert Spillane and guard Matt Feiler. The two starters figure to be major factors in the wild-card matchup with the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night.
Spillane, who took the place of Devin Bush when he was injured in the Week 6 matchup against the Browns, has been a major factor in stopping the run something that will be especially important against Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
As far as the Steelers go, just about everyone will be available to play this Sunday when they take on the Browns in the AFC Wild Card game. For the f.
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Robert Spillane was a special teams player most Steeler fans didn’t think much of a year ago, when depth at inside linebacker was considered a serious problem. The Steelers didn’t even think enough of Spillane to give him rotational snaps on defense, but when he stepped on the field in Week 6, replacing the Steelers fantastic young linebacker Devin Bush, he didn’t play like a backup, or a journeyman. He played like a Steeler linebacker.
Run defense
With Robert Spillane replacing Devin Bush, the Steelers had to alter how they used their inside linebackers. Spillane isn’t the athlete Devin Bush is, and that meant Vince Williams and Spillane shared more responsibility and had less clearly defined roles. Where Devin Bush had been the primary cover linebacker, freeing Vince Williams to attack the offense, taking on blockers and blitzing a lot, Robert Spillane and Vince Williams split those duties more evenly.