Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Schobert got their first live snaps of the Steelers’ season en route to another one-sided first half, with some fireworks from all three of this year’s top draft picks.
Ben was the first in the saddle this week. He flashed shades of Vintage Ben on the first drive, spinning left then doubling back to the right. He found Ebron open at the sticks and delivered a very catchable ball, but Ebron was unable to complete the play.
Presley Harvin handled the punting duties, and his first attempt – which was covered well and netted 50 yards – was the only time his services were required. Jordan Berry was spotted stretching in the fourth quarter but he was not needed in the game.
The Lions’ first two plays went for first downs, and Minkah had two tackles after two snaps. After two plays knifing into the Steelers’ secondary to start the game, the Lions did nothing else against our starters.
Kendrick Green continued to be a bully in the ground game, often planting his blocking assignments into the ground, but was skated and spun around at times in pass protection. Ben connected with Johnson deep over the middle for 43 yards, and later busted out a pump fake that even fooled the KDKA camera operator before pulling the ball back and firing a high fastball to Freiermuth for his first NFL TD.
After the defense forced a three and out, Najee caught a pass out of the backfield on the first snap and took it down the right sideline for 46 yards. A few plays later Ben connected with his locker mate in the end zone again, another perfectly placed ball out of reach of anyone not named Freiermuth. Roethlisberger finished the night 8/10 with 2 TD’s and a perfect passer rating, and the team was 4/5 on 3rd downs under his leadership (the one was Ebron’s drop).
Mason Rudolph came into the game with about 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter, to what sounded like boos from the hometown crowd. We saw Derek Watt line up as a TE to get him out in space as a lead blocker. As the quarter expired, Juju feinted as if they were running a screen to his side. I don’t think any of the Lions bought it, but curiously enough the team’s first play of the 2nd quarter was a screen to Juju. Later in the drive, Juju narrowly missed pulling in a TD from Mason on a perfect throw into tight coverage.
Mason Rudolph is sneaky-good at drawing personal fouls. He apparently just has one of those faces that you want to bash with a helmet, and he got 15 yards the easy way again. He also turned a would-be sack into a 1 yard rush by keeping his legs churning as the pocket collapsed. Later, he missed another TD pass that would have been Freiermuth’s third of the night, had Mason led the pass a hair further.
HALFTIME SCORE: 20-0 Steelers
An uncalled holding prevented Edmunds from recording a sack, but the Steelers forced their third three-and-out of the night. Matthew Sexton fielded the ensuing punt on his own 6 yard line, initially probed the right side, cut back to the left and found a crease that he rode for 47 yards.
Rudolph came back out to start the second half. Ballage was pushing piles, and McFarland ran like the Tasmanian Devil (what’s that old expression about a cloud of dust?) Juju spent some time in the blue tent after showing discomfort in his hand, but he didn’t appear too worried about it during his post-game TikTok dance. Mason made a bad decision trying to force the ball into the end zone, with four Lions standing in front of anyone in a black shirt.
Penalties were a point of emphasis in practice this week, and Mike Tomlin walked the walk by taking Loudermilk off the field immediately after he committed a roughing penalty. Spillane added to his run-stuffing resume, but continues to expose weakness in coverage to the tape. Jones and Allen combined for the Steelers only sack on the night.
Haskins came for fourth quarter. Ray Ray McCloud was able to bend a screen around a Cody White block that went for 30. Later, the Steelers failed to read and adjust to a Lions MLB stunt; two men came free, Jaylen Samuels could only pick up one, and Haskins went down for the team’s only sack. Boswell connected on a FG that pushed him to 4/4 on the night
The Lions’ final three drives – of 82, 77 and 54 yards – all went for TD’s. The Steelers’ “break don’t bend” strategy was a confounding shift from the shutout ball they had played during the first half. The Lions recovered an onside kick after the second TD, with Jones and Gilbert failing to secure the high bounce. Detroit kicked it deep after the third TD and tried to play clock ball, but they never regained possession.
Everyone including Bob Pompeani was expecting the Steelers to try and ice the game on the ground when they took over with 1:56. Samuels first attempt was stone-walled, but the second play they PA’ed to him and threw over the top to Tre Edmunds who had lined up as a FB. Good to see the Steelers playing fullback football again. Cue victory formation.
FINAL SCORE: 26-20
Roster Prediction: I love the RB room of Harris-McFarland-Ballage. Edmunds’ ability to play FB should afford him at least a spot on the practice squad. I was unimpressed with Samuels’s effort on many of his reps, and wouldn’t be surprised if he finds himself on the outside looking in.
CamBlackburnWrites 