did replacement players play on friday?
It was weird - both teams had "backup" teams ready to go... both teams released their entire roster once the strike was announced.
Both teams then started the game with backup players and modified rules (no mack linebacker blitzes, for example). During the game, the teams were negotiating with the players they released - saying if you left the union they would sign them immediately and play them in the game.
Pittsburgh did exactly that and brought a number of players back into the game. Orlando did also, to a smaller degree. Both teams had a handshake agreement to only play 5 "regular" guys at a maximum - but Pittsburgh disregarded this and played like 10 of them.
It really, really, was a farce.
