Steelers add C Pouncey to COVID-19 list against Ravens
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are scheduled to play on Wednesday afternoon even as COVID-19 continues to infect players up and down their respective rosters. The Steelers will be without perennial Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on just hours before kickoff. Pouncey is the fourth Pittsburgh player to join the list in the past week. The Ravens will be without more than a dozen players, including quarterback Lamar Jackson and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram. The game has been delayed three times because of a COVID-19 outbreak in Baltimore.

2020 features 1st NFL season in 9 years with 0-10, 10-0 team
By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer
Winning or losing 10 straight games to open the season is a relatively rare occurrence. A season in which teams have done both has happened only a handful of times before the Pittsburgh Steelers won their first 10 games and the New York Jets lost their first 10 this season. This is just the sixth season in the Super Bowl era to feature both a 10-0 team and 0-10 team, and first time it has happened since 2011. That year, the Packers went 15-1 before losing their first playoff game, while the Colts finished 2-14.

Week of isolation works for Big Ben; Steelers rip Bengals
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger threw for a season-high 333 yards and four touchdowns despite being forced to stay away from the team facility all week due to COVID-19 protocols, and the Pittsburgh Steelers stayed unbeaten with a 36-10 victory over the Bengals. Roethlisberger was one of four Steelers put on the COVID-19 list last Monday due to contact tracing after tight end Vance McDonald tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He connected with Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster for touchdowns in the first half and found rookie Chase Claypool twice in the second half as Pittsburgh improved to 9-0.

All NFL games on for Week 9 as teams deal with COVID-19
By The Associated Press undefined
All NFL games are on for this weekend while teams deal with COVID-19 issues. Depending on their situations, teams were either steering clear of or returning to their facilities Friday, one day after the Packers beat the 49ers even though both clubs were missing key players due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cincinnati, Atlanta and Miami all revealed positive tests.

AP source: Tomlin, Steelers fined for improper mask wearing
By BARRY WILNER AP Pro Football Writer
A person with knowledge of the matter tells The Associated Press that Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has been fined $100,000 and the club $250,000 because coaches improperly wore facial coverings last Sunday. The person said Friday that Tomlin and the Steelers were disciplined because members of the coaching staff were “not wearing face coverings at all times on the sidelines.” Tomlin was cited among the coaches not following protocols during the victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The league has been clamping down on violators of sideline protocols.

Unbeaten Steelers huge favorites in visit to rival Cowboys
By The Associated Press undefined
The Pittsburgh Steelers are huge favorites in their visit to longtime rival Dallas. The Cowboys are 13 1/2-point underdogs, the largest spread against them at home since 1989. That was the year owner Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys. They finished 1-15. Pittsburgh can set a franchise record with an eighth straight win to start the season. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin can tie the NFL record of 14 consecutive seasons of at least a .500 record at the start of a career. Dallas will have its fourth starting quarterback of the season.

Cowboys will have 4th starting QB of season against Steelers
By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys will have their fourth different starting quarterback of the season against undefeated Pittsburgh with Andy Dalton unavailable because of COVID-19 protocols. Coach Mike McCarthy says rookie Ben DiNucci is being benched in favor of either Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush. Gilbert and Rush will compete for the job in practice this week. Dalton is expected to be available again when the Cowboys return after their open week. DiNucci started once after Dalton sustained a concussion. Dalton replaced star Dak Prescott, who is out for the season with a broken ankle.