Newcomer Avery Williamson active for Steelers-Cowboys game

Updated Nov. 8, 2020 3:32 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Avery Williamson is active for Pittsburgh against Dallas a week after the linebacker was acquired in a trade from the New York Jets.

Williamson couldn’t join the team until Saturday because of COVID-19 protocols. But the Steelers put him on the 53-man roster the first day he was eligible and made him active against the Cowboys.

Ezekiel Elliott is active for Dallas after the two-time rushing champion was limited in practice all week by a hamstring injury.

Elliott went through a pregame workout on the field with the training staff as coach Mike McCarthy watched. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said late in the week Elliott would play, but McCarthy was more cautious and wondered what his workload would be.

McCarthy said Elliott was injured late in last week’s loss to Philadelphia during Rodney McLeod’s 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown that sealed a 23-9 win for the Eagles. Elliott, who hasn’t missed a game because of injury in his four-plus seasons, was listed as questionable.

Rookie Dallas quarterback Ben DiNucci went back to being inactive a week after making his first career start against the Eagles. The Cowboys decided to pick between Garrett Gilbert and Cooper Rush, which means they will have four different starting QBs in a span of five games.

Neither Gilbert nor Rush has started an NFL game, but both have been in the league much longer than DiNucci. Gilbert was expected to get the start.

Pittsburgh cornerback Mike Hilton was ruled out with a shoulder injury after being listed as doubtful. Nose tackle Tyson Alualu had already been ruled out after injuring a knee last week against Baltimore.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Casey Hayward will be active for the Los Angeles Chargers game against Las Vegas after both were placed on the injury report as questionable late in the week.

Allen was listed Saturday with an illness and Hayward’s status was in the air because of a non-injury related reason.

It is not all good news for the Chargers (2-5) though. Defensive end Joey Bosa will miss his first game of the season after sustaining a concussion last week against Denver. Tyrod Taylor, who began the season as the starting quarterback, is active for the first time since the opener. Taylor suffered a rib injury at Cincinnati and then suffered a punctured lung while receiving a pregame injection before the Sept. 19 game against Kansas City.

That cleared the way for Justin Herbert to become the starter.

The Raiders (4-3) are without offensive left tackle Kolton Miller (ankle). This is the first start Miller has missed in his three-year career.

The Cardinals will be without starting running back Kenyan Drake (ankle) for their game against Miami. Drake was hurt during the team’s win over the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 25. Backup Chase Edmonds is likely to have an increased role because of Drake’s absence. Defensive lineman Jordan Phillips (hamstring) was limited during practice this week but is active.

Five Dolphins assistant coaches are not available because of COVID-19 protocols. They are defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander, quarterbacks coach Robby Brown, outside linebackers coach Austin Clark, defensive line coach Marion Hobby and quality control coach Kolby Smith.

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LAS VEGAS-LA CHARGERS

Raiders: QB Marcus Mariota, S Dallin Leavitt, RB Theo Riddick, DT Maurice Hurts, OT Kolton Miller, OG John Simpson, DE Arden Key.

Chargers: QB Easton Stick, RB Troymaine Pope, OG Trai Turner, OT Storm Norton, DE Jessie Lemonier, DE Joey Bosa.

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MIAMI-ARIZONA

Dolphins: RB Matt Breida, CB Jamal Perry, T Adam Pankey.

Cardinals: QB Brett Hundley, WR KeeSean Johnson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, RB Eno Benjamin, RB Kenyan Drake, OL Josh Miles.

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PITTSBURGH-DALLAS

Steelers: QB Josh Dobbs, DB Mike Hilton, FB Derek Watt, T Derwin Gray, TE Zach Gentry, DE Tyson Alualu.

Cowboys: QB Ben DiNucci, WR Malik Turner, FS Reggie Robinson, RB Sewo Olonilua, LB Joe Thomas, DE Bradlee Anae.

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DENVER-ATLANTA

Broncos: CB A.J. Bouye (concussion), CB Bryce Callahan (ankle), QB Jeff Driskel; KR Dionte Spencer (shoulder).

Falcons: DE Dante Fowler, DE Takk McKinley, WR Calvin Ridley, RB Ito Smith, T John Wetzel, DT Deadrin Senat, DT Marlon Davidson.

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SEATTLE-BUFFALO

Seahawks: RB Chris Carson, RB Carlos Hyde, CB Shaquill Griffin, OL Mike Iupati, TE Colby Parkinson, DE Benson Mayowa, S Ugo Amadi.

Bills: C Mitch Morse, CB Josh Norman, DT Harrison Phillips, TE Lee Smith, RB Taiwan Jones, RB T.J. Yeldon, QB Jake Fromm.

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BALTIMORE-INDIANAPOLIS

Ravens: RB Mark Ingram, LB L.J. Fort, QB Trace McSorley, DE Jihad Ward, DT Broderick Washington.

Colts: WR T.Y. Hilton, DE Ben Banogu, DE Ron’Dell Carter, QB Jacob Eason, WR Dezmon Patmon, TE Noah Togiai, S Tavon Wilson

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HOUSTON-JACKSONVILLE

Texans: CB Bradley Roby, WR Isaiah Coulter, LB Kyle Emanuel, OL Charlie Heck.

Jaguars: QB Gardner Minshew, RB Devine Ozigbo, CB Josiah Scott, CB Luq Barcoo, LB Dakota Allen, DE/LB Aaron Lynch, DL Caraun Reid

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CAROLINA-KANSAS CITY

Panthers: QB PJ Walker, WR Marken Michel, S Jeremy Chinn, S Sean Chandler, OL Michael Schofield, LT Russell Okung, DT Bruce Hector.

Chiefs: RT Mitchell Schwartz, WR Sammy Watkins, TE Ricky Seals-Jones, DE Demone Harris, DT Khalen Saunders, LB Darius Harris, FS Tedric Thompson.

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DETROIT-MINNESOTA

Lions: QB David Blough, WR Kenny Golladay, S Tracy Walker, RB Jamal Agnew, C Logan Stenberg, G Joe Dahl.

Vikings: WR Tajaé Sharpe, CB Cameron Dantzler, CB Dylan Mabin, DE Jordan Brailford, T Oli Udoh, DT James Lynch.

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CHICAGO-TENNESSEE

Bears: QB Mitchell Trubisky, OL Sam Mustipher, NT John Nekins, DE Roy Robertson-Harris and OLB Trevis Gibson.

Titans: WR Adam Humphries, OLB Jadeveon Clowney, DB Kareem Orr, OT Isaiah Wilson, TE Geoff Swaim, DL Matt Dickerson.

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NY GIANTS-WASHINGTON

Giants: RB Devonta Freeman (ankle), WR Golden Tate, OT Jackson Barton, G Kenny Wiggins, TE Eric Tomlinson, DE RJ McIntosh, CB Brandon Williams.

Washington: WR Dontrelle Inman (hamstring), OT Geron Christian (knee), QB Dwayne Haskins, LB Thomas Davis, WR Robert Foster, WR Tony Brown, DE Casey Toohill

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