PITTSBURGH --- The Steelers got by for one night, barely, without a running game. What could be more difficult: getting by the first half of the season without All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu.
Polamalu, a game-changing talent who might be one of the NFL's most irreplaceable players, sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during a blocked field goal in Pittsburgh's 13-10 overtime victory over Tennessee on Thursday night.
Even before Polamalu underwent more tests Friday to further evaluate the injury -- a sprain is a tear in the ligament -- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin estimated he would be out for three to six weeks. Players have returned from such an injury within a month, but not often.
After winning their seventh consecutive opener, the players were given the weekend off and they won't practice again until Monday. The team might not offer an injury update on Polamalu until then.
As the Steelers learned immediately after the Titans' Alge Crumpler fell on Polamalu's knee as it was bent at an awkward angle, not having Polamalu for three to six plays is difficult enough.
"Troy is one in a million," defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "We'll play well without him, but you don't replace Troy."
Immediately after Polamalu was hurt Thursday night, Kerry Collins drove the Titans three plays for their only touchdown, hitting rookie Kenny Britt for 57 yards with no defender in sight, and an equally wide-open Justin Gage on a 14-yard touchdown play.
Without Polamalu, it was obvious there was confusion in the secondary.
The Steelers had only 10 defenders on the field on one play -- and, without their playmaker, it might have seemed like they had fewer than that.
"At first, I don't think we did too well," linebacker James Harrison said. "The communication wasn't there. We came back in and did some adjustments and went back out and did all right."
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