Steelers’ Starks out for season

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

This isn’t the news that a suddenly more secure Ben Roethlisberger wanted to hear.

Left tackle Max Starks needs surgery to repair a disc injury in his neck and will miss the rest of the season, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers without both of their starting offensive tackles. Right tackle Willie Colon, unsigned past this season, was lost for the season when he ruptured his right Achilles’ tendon in June.

“It’s a huge blow, to have him [Starks] out for the rest of the year is devastating,” right guard Trai Essex said Wednesday. “At the same time, this is life in the NFL. Injuries happen and you’re only as good as your backups.”

The Steelers (6-2) are playing many of those backups. Three linemen were injured in the first half alone during the 27-21 victory at Cincinnati on Monday night, a situation that left the personnel so muddled for a time that backup tight end Matt Spaeth was nearly drafted to play tackle. Doug Legursky played both guard and center.

“I was trying to figure out who was at center and who was at guard, guys were just moving around,” Roethlisberger said.

The 28-year-old Starks, a starter on Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl-winning teams during the 2005 and 2008 seasons, was placed on the injured reserve list and can’t return this season. He will be replaced by Jonathan Scott beginning Sunday against New England (6-2).

Scott, a former Bills starter who has been backing up Starks and right tackle Flozell Adams, has started three times previously against the Patriots. Scott was recommended to the Steelers by offensive line coach Sean Kugler, who coached in Buffalo last season.

“I’m definitely going to put an emphasis on playing at a high level and keeping the ship moving,” Scott said.

Starks has started three seasons at left tackle after starting two seasons at right tackle.

While Scott is experienced, Starks’ injury is a setback to an offensive line that, even without Colon, has done a better job of protecting its franchise quarterback. Roethlisberger, sacked an NFL-high 50 times last season and 249 times since his rookie season in 2004, has been dropped only seven times in his first four games.

Going into this season, Roethlisberger had been sacked 37 times more than any other player since entering the league.