Steelers finally solve Lions

As the ink dries on Pittsburgh’s 3-0 preseason with a 19-9 victory over the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium, we finally have clarity on who the starting QB will (and should) be.

QB Mitch Trubisky (with a little help from his friend WR Steven Sims) finally found the end zone with 14 seconds left in the second quarter after calling on K Chris Boswell thrice in the first half to finish drives. Boswell – almost needlessly to say – connected on all three (from 34, 38 and 45 yards).

Meanwhile, the Steelers defense pitched a shutout in the first half and held the Lions to 3 points for 59 and a half minutes. Veterans DE Cam Heyward (2 batted balls), CB Cam Sutton (INT, 45-yard return) and FS Minkah Fitzpatrick (Sack, PBU) were predictable stand-outs. MLB Devin Bush flashed his rookie season form with a 4th down run stuff.

QB Kenny Pickett had a somewhat quiet (10/14-90 yards) relief performance, although he did find this sweet back shoulder connection with WR Miles Boykin. Boykin caught all three of his targets last night and continues to shine as a gunner on the punt coverage unit.

WR Diontae Johnson jammed his left shoulder going to the ground making a big catch up the left sideline. OLB TJ Watt got his knees cut out by TJ Hockenson (TJ-on-TJ crime). Johnson played at least another down and TJ was back on the sideline for the second half. Mike Tomlin stated at half time both these injuries were minor, and the players could have continued to participate, had the game mattered.

S Damontae Kazee fell awkwardly on his hand after being hurdled early in the 3rd quarter and was later seen with an air cast on that hand. He was one of my favorite new-comers of camp; it’ll be a shame if this closes the door on his Steelers career but it may open a window for Miles Killebrew.

53-man Roster Prediction

QBs (3): Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph

Despite reports that he had the best camp of the group, many fans feel Rudolph is extraneous to the Steelers plans. With 2019 still raw in our memories itā€™s unlikely Omar Khan pulls the trigger on a trade that would leave his team with only two signal-callers – neither of whom have taken a live snap for this team.

RBs (4): Najee Harris, Benny Snell, Jaylen Warren, Derek Watt

Snell has Danny Smith to thank for his job; so does Watt, for that matter. I’ve often said Warren is Najee Lite and would be stashed on the practice squad as a reasonable facsimile if god forbid… He appears to have surpassed expectations. I’d keep Anthony McFarland for his change-of-pace value over Snell, but who cares what I think.

TEs (3): Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry, Connor Heyward

Many asked if Heyward – a few inches shorter than any NFL TE, ever – had a path to the roster that didnā€™t go through Derek Watt. Connor quieted that snark by playing much bigger than his frame and showing the hands/ball-tracking ability that made him a mismatch over the middle at MSU.

WRs (7): Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Gunner Olszewski, Miles Boykin, Steven Sims

This is a sneaky-deep group that will require some tough decisions. CA3 says his foot injury ā€œfeels greatā€ but his lack of participation in preseason positions him as an IR candidate. Simsā€™ and Tyler Vaughnā€™s preseasons will make them risky on the waiver wire (say that three times fast) but Sims’ facility with the return game makes him the more valuable currency. Boykin’s been Pittsburgh’s best gunner this preseason (90.3 PFF grade for special teams).

OL (8): Dan Moore, Kevin Dotson, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor, Joe Haeg, Kendrick Green, JC Hassenauer

Much of Steelers Nation was grousing about Chuks’ contract extension a few months ago and now he looks like the most stable of the lot. Green isnā€™t staying because I like much (or any) of what heā€™s shown me, but because Iā€™m not seeing enough from Dotson. Itā€™s a classic ā€œquantity, not qualityā€ situation. The depth was a revolving door through camp so its not surprising there aren’t any surprises here.

DL (7) : Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Chris Wormley, Tyson Alualu, Montravius Adams, DeMarvin Leal, Isaiahh Loudermilk

That Mondeaux sack dance has certainly made him one of my favorites, but he and the Davis brothers are headed for the practice squad. Theyā€™ll keep their phone ringers on; thereā€™s a reason I kept seven here. It’s an experienced unit but that incurs its own risks. Adams missed the entire preseason so he’s another IR candidate.

EDGE (4): TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, Derek Tuszka, [Outside Hire]

Genard Avery was a better pass rusher his rookie season than Highsmith was last year. Nobody saw his cut coming; I wonder if some behind-the-scenes stuff went down (“If it quacks like a Melvin Ingram…”). Rashed’s pass rush win rate through the first two games (11.5%) was second only to TJ’s (12.5%) but he laid an egg in the finale. UPDATE: the Steelers have traded for Broncos LB Malik Reed.

ILBs (4): Myles Jack, Devin Bush, Mark Robinson, Robert Spillane

Robinson did one thing very well this preseason: coming downhill. Coverage and containment are works in progress but the guy can sure hunt. I donā€™t enjoy cutting bait on Buddy Johnson after his second preseason but at least three other position groups need injury buffers. Sorry, kid; itā€™s not you itā€™s me.

CBs (5): Cam Sutton, Ahkello Witherspoon, Levi Wallace, James Pierre, Arthur Maulet

Justin Layne’s the odd man out here. His “gimme” interception in the middle preseason game will not be enough to save his job.

Sā€™s (5): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Tre Norwood, Damontae Kazee, Miles Killebrew

Kazee had one of the loudest preseasons for this Steelers defense but was seen in an air cast after injuring a wrist in last nightā€™s finale. Heā€™s headed to IR but if heā€™s on the initial 53 heā€™ll be eligible to return after three weeks. Killebrew has been hampered by a pectoral injury all summer but makes the team on the strength of his two punt blocks from 2021. If heā€™s not ready, Elijah Riley – who came to Pittsburgh only three days prior and made a couple noticeable plays last night – certainly will be.

Specialists (3): Chris Boswell, Presley Harvin III, Christian Kuntz

No surprises this year. By the way, Jordan Berry lost another camp punting battle out in Minnesota.

Another Pre-Season Come-back for the Steelers

For about 58 minutes there was a clear winner and a clear loser in the Steelers’ QB competition Saturday night in their 16-15 win over the Jaguars.

Kenny Pickett – codename: Papa Bear – won the night by throwing two TD’s (one was wiped off the board by off-setting penalties). The one that counted went to RB Benny Snell with a nice RAC and dive for the pylon; combined with a strong ST tackle Snell likely solidified his roster spot tonight.

Mitch Trubisky was the Goldilocks of the night: not too hot, not too cold. He showed impressive elusiveness with very little help from his OL facing a pass rush featuring OLB’s Josh Allen and 2022 #1 overall draft pick Travon Walker. A 20-yard hookup to WR Diontae Johnson on a quick-hitting slant was his longest completion of the night. A slot-fade to WR Chase Claypool – who finished with an athletic combat catch – was his only other notable pass.

Mason Rudolph ended his first drive throwing a potential hospital ball to WR George Pickens over the middle. His second drive at the con resulted in a safety after he was flagged for intentional grounding in his own end zone. Until the Steelers’ final possession Mason was firmly the Baby Bear.

WR Tyler Vaughns had three catches (and a couple strong RAC’s) for 51 yards on that drive. On 4th and Goal from the 1 Mason found WR Tyler Snead on a quick out to take their first lead of the game.

Jacksonville got close enough to attempt a 57-yard FG in the final seconds of the contest. It had plenty of leg but fell wide right. FINAL SCORE: 16-15 PIT

OTHER GAME NOTES

The starting base corners were Cam Sutton and Ahkello Witherspoon. In Nickel, Levi Wallace played outside and Sutton kicked inside to the slot.

OLB TJ Watt recorded a sack in his first action of the preseason, zipping right around the edge with a speed rush to get to Jags QB Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence picked apart the Steelers first-team coverages but was unable to find the end zone.

CB Justin Layne pulled in a late INT and added a nifty run-back to boot. He was a guy I was eying as a potential roster casualty so the team could keep an extra D-lineman but he made himself a bit harder to cut tonight.