T.J. Watt off Steelers injury report for Saints in Paris

Watt's calf popped up on Thursday's report and got everybody's blood pressure going right as the team got to France. The worry didn't last long.

ProFootballTalk

@ProFootballTalk

Steelers don't expect T.J. Watt's calf injury to affect Sunday availability. t.co/W9mg6uiRca

Watt was limited Thursday, which is the kind of line that makes Steelers fans spiral when the guy in question is the whole pass rush. Mike McCarthy shut that down fast. Asked whether the calf would affect Watt on Sunday, he said "I would say no," then added that the team had just gotten off the flight and would see how guys responded. The team also said Watt would have been a full participant Friday. Friday's session didn't actually happen because of bad weather, so that report was an estimate.

Then came the line that settled it. Watt has no designation on the final report, so he's playing at Stade de France. A limited day on a calf right after an overseas flight can mean anything, but when the head coach says no and the final report comes out clean, you take it.

Mark Kaboly

@MarkKaboly

TJ Watt is not on the final injury report. Steelers officially list S DeShon Elliott as questionable for Sunday's game.

The real question marks are elsewhere on the defense. DeShon Elliott is questionable with a knee injury and has been designated to return from injured reserve. He was listed as a full participant all week, but Pittsburgh has to activate him by Saturday afternoon for him to play. McCarthy called Elliott "one of our leaders" and said it's been "a long road back," which sure doesn't sound like a coach planning to leave him on the shelf. The Steelers have an open roster spot, so activating him won't cost anybody else a job.

On offense, the one to watch is Rico Dowdle. He's questionable with a knee injury after being listed as limited on Friday's estimated report.

ProFootballTalk

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Steelers list Rico Dowdle, DeShon Elliott as questionable. t.co/Tjp5cOznTe

Two guys are already out. Wide receiver Ben Skowronek (calf) and cornerback Brandin Echols (hamstring) were ruled out before the team left for France. Losing Echols thins out the secondary, and that makes getting Elliott back matter even more. On the Saints side, guard Cesar Ruiz and defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd are both questionable.

With Friday rained out, Saturday's final practice is the last checkpoint. Watch for the Elliott activation and any update on Dowdle. Watt is good to go, and that's the news that actually matters for this game in Paris.