First Call: Ravens mascot injured; potential name is off Steelers outside linebacker wish list

Monday’s “First Call” features a name falling off the wish list of some who wanted to see the Steelers bolster their outside linebacker position. There was a mascot mishap in Baltimore. Another preseason quarterback injury in the NFL. And the Pirates are about to battle the Brewers.

All that in Monday’s “First Call.”

Will we see Poe again? Or nevermore?

After placing 25 players on injured reserve during the 2021 NFL campaign, the Baltimore Ravens want no part of preseason injuries in 2022. But it happened again Saturday during a 17-15 win over the Washington Commanders.

To the team’s mascot.

“Poe” the Raven had to be carted off the field during a halftime exhibition game, featuring mascots against a youth football team.

It appeared to be a lower leg or knee injury of some sort.

A closer look at how at how Poe sustained his injury last night.

Get well soon

: @SharlaMcBridepic.twitter.com/X89e2vg9SK

— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) August 28, 2022

Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked about the awkward moment after the Ravens win.

“I knew you guys were going to ask me that. No updates on that. There will be an MRI tomorrow, for sure,” Harbaugh (partially) joked.

INJURY UPDATE: #Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh thinks Poe will be fine but there may be an MRI tomorrow. #RavensFlock @wjz @MarkWJZ pic.twitter.com/PRAn9m9BwN

— WJZ Sports (@WJZ13sports) August 28, 2022

The name of the person in the costume and his/her actual status is unknown. Via ESPN.com, “With a smile, a Ravens spokesman said after the game that there will be no injury updates until Week 1 of the regular season.”

Forget Flowers

Some in the media and on the internet have speculated about the prospect of veteran free agent Trey Flowers joining the Steelers. They are thin at outside linebacker after T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. And the 29-year-old Flowers, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, is looking for a job. He’s been out of work since the Detroit Lions released him in March.

But according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Flowers is now a Miami Dolphin. Andrew Van Ginkel (appendix) and Brennan Scarlett have both missed time on the edge in Miami this season.

After releasing Genard Avery last week, the Steelers’ top options to back up Watt or Highsmith (in cases of injury) are Derrek Tuszka, Hamilcar Rashed and Delontae Scott.

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Not bad in New York

Every time a quarterback injury crops up, conversation in Pittsburgh immediately shifts to whether the team in question would be willing to trade something (or someone) worthwhile to the Steelers for Mason Rudolph.

After Tyrod Taylor’s injury in New York, it appears the Giants shouldn’t be put on that list.

Taylor — expected to be Daniel Jones’ backup — suffered a back injury and needed to be carted off the field. But according to Dan Salomone of Giants’ team website, coach Brian Daboll said, “Taylor should be OK,” and he expressed confidence in Davis Webb.

Daboll said Tyrod Taylor should be OK. They talked at halftime after the QB left with a back injury. Daboll said you can tell Davis Webb is comfortable in their scheme.

— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) August 28, 2022

Webb played the rest of the game and was 30-of-38 for 202 yards with a touchdown. Taylor was injured on a hit by Jets defensive lineman Micheal Clemons. Taylor wound up 2-of-4 for 29 yards with an interception. He also ran for 13 yards.

A lot on the line

After salvaging one of three games in Philadelphia (a 5-0 victory on Sunday), the Pirates are heading to Milwaukee for three.

It’s an important series for Milwaukee. The Brewers start play Monday a game and a half behind the San Diego Padres for the National League’s final wild-card spot and six games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central lead.

Milwaukee just won its last two games against the Chicago Cubs. They had lost five of their previous seven. The Pirates surprisingly swept the Brewers at PNC Park earlier this month, winning Game 1 by a final of 5-3. Game 2 was an 8-7 victory, and the third game was won 2-1 in 10 innings.

Milwaukee swept the first six games of the season series. Overall, the Bucs are 7-9 versus Milwaukee this season, having been outscored 92-66 along the way.

The Pirates have to face reigning NL Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes on Monday. He’s 9-6 with an ERA of 2.84. However, he has struggled in August, posting a 1-2 record with an ERA of 5.20 for the month. One of those losses was a 5-3 misstep against the Pirates on Aug. 2. The Buccos touched up the right-hander for four earned runs and chased him in the sixth inning.

Burnes won his other two starts against Pittsburgh this year. The first was a 5-3 decision in April, then a 19-2 Brewers romp in July. J.T. Brubaker was scheduled to start for the Pirates. But he is on the paternity list. A replacement has yet to be announced.