Seahawks @ Steelers: Redemption for Rudolph and Robinson

In Acrisure Stadium’s inaugural game the Steelers fittingly – and dramatically – downed the Seahawks 32-25.

It was a hot start for the Steelers’ offense with Mitch Trubisky, Anthony McFarland, Gunner Olszewski and George Pickens all showing strong performances in their first games wearing black and gold. What’s that, this is actually McFarland’s third year with the team? Huh, you’d never know. Anyway, Gunner had this sweet RAC (run after catch) and a play later made them pay for a busted coverage with 7 points:

Gunner Olszewski RAC

Not to be outdone, the defense posted a couple highlights of their own early. CB Ahkello Witherspoon – a ball-hawking poindexter – made a stunningly physical, athletic stick on a jet sweep for a loss. Later, MLB Myles Jack wove through traffic and stuffed a 3rd & 1 run. Henry Mondeaux even got in on the festivities…and we got to see that famous sack dance:

Henry Mondeaux sack dance

WR Miles Boykin and TE Conor Heyward both notched two ST tackles (Boykin also forced a fumble on an ill-fielded punt). Danny Smith’s crowning moment was this 38-yard punt return from WR Steven Sims:

Steven Sims punt return

Morale was sky-high when QB Mason Rudolph took the reins. He took one snap, dropped back, and was predictably (almost comically) stripped off his blind side. He recovered the fumble but couldn’t do anything with it before he was swarmed. Two plays later he redeemed himself with this wonderful toss to Pickens:

Also predictably – with Heyward, Alualu, Ogunjobi and Adams all inactive – the run defense looked exactly like it did much of last season. Seattle RB’s Deejay Dallas and Travis Homer combined for 114 yards on 14 carries (8.1 YPC).

Fortunately (and this was a surprise, with Najee not dressing) the Steelers actually topped that high-water mark with 185 rush yards. RB’s McFarland (7 rushes/56 yards), Jaylen Warren (6/34) and Master Teague (6/31) all averaged over 5 yards/carry – so did Pickett (3/16), for that matter. Sims – of 38-yard punt return fame – cracked the edge on a jet sweep for another 38-yard gain.

It wasn’t a particularly strong start for rookie MLB Mark Robinson, particularly being tested on two consecutive plays for a TD and two-point-conversion. Inside two minutes in the 4Q with the score tied he came through untouched and notched a strip-sack. That’s encouraging, considering UG3’s release significantly raises Robinson’s odds of making this team.

Set up on a short field, Kenny led another efficient drive down to the doorstep. He finished with a second TD toss (Warren caught this first, this one to WR Tyler Vaughns) that left only 3 seconds on the clock. Seattle ran a hook and ladder that gained no ground, and DT Khalil Davis was able to track down the ball to seal the Steelers’ victory and put a huge smile on Mike Tomlin’s face.

On the injury front: WR’s Calvin Austin and Anthony Miller did not participate; the KDKA broadcast noted Austin was in a walking boot at game time and Tomlin noted after the game Miller hurt a shoulder in practice. S Karl Joseph was carted off the field with his leg in an air cast (shades of Tyson) and that’s never good. Tomlin added the other injury stoppages (Witherspoon and S Damontae Kazee) were “not of any significance.”

Who gets UG3’s roster spot?

The Steelers released MLB Ulysses Gilbert III after an injury incurred during training camp confined his foot to a walking boot.

OLB Hamilcar Rashed – a UDFA out of Oregon State last year who played in one game for the Jets – was the corresponding move. Does anyone think a guy who couldn’t find the field with the New York freakin’ Jets will earn play time behind Watt, Highsmith, Avery and Tuszka?

Rashed is only here because Highsmith and Avery have lost practice time to rib and groin injuries, respectively. I don’t see him factoring into the 53-man roster.

Which begs the question: who gets Gilbert’s slot on the 53?

Mark Robinson – the rookie draft pick – would be the easy answer. Eye for an eye, MLB for MLB. His is a name we’ve heard flashing in camp reports, although evaluations don’t start in earnest until the lights come on in the preseason.

If Robinson makes the team, Marcus Allen’s $2.54 million might start to look like a hefty price for an up-back on the punting unit – especially when they’re already paying Derek Watt about $5 million this year to cover punts.

Let’s not forget the Steelers had six MLBs on their initial 53 last year as Devin Bush insurance. While we don’t feel much better about Bush now than we did a year ago, I think the team feels well enough about the guys around him (Jack, Spillane, Buddy Johnson & Mark Robinson) to only keep five.

My suggestion: keep a 7th defensive lineman. Alualu and Ogunjobi are coming off significant injuries. Heyward just posted his most dominant season ever but he’s on the wrong side of 30. They liked Loudermilk enough to trade up to draft him a year ago; he may be the second best two-gapper on this team right now. Adams was a gem of a mid-season pickup. Leal and Worm are roster locks, and even the athletic Davis brothers are poised for impressive preseasons.

We saw what happened last year when this unit thinned out; the Pittsburgh Steelers cannot be the worst rush defense two years in a row.

MythBusters: Are the Steelers a WR factory?

Steelers fans like to brag about our pipeline of WR talent. Far be it for me to rain on anyone’s parade (lord knows I love a parade) but some of yinz could use a cold shower.

I charted the Steelers top-three draft picks for the past decade. Seven of those 30 players were WR’s (no, I didn’t count Dri Archer); that’s as many as the other three offensive skill positions, combined.

We need to stop with this narrative that Mike Tomlin & Co. miraculously find these diamond in the rough receivers. The Steelers aren’t bippity-boppity-boo’ing these guys from thin air, they’re investing more highly at the receiver position than any other position on the field.

I know what you’re thinking: “Well they suck at drafting DB’s, and they draft just about as many of those…” I know you want to throw Senquez Golson and Artie Burns at me; I’ll volley back with Sammie Coates and Markus Wheaton. Also Golson’s career never got off the ground due to injury; kind of a cheap shot for you to bring him up.

Cam Sutton is a success, as is Terrell Edmunds. Sean Davis got a second contract with the Steelers, and even Artie Burns has turned his career around in Seattle. If you go back a little further this is the same team that drafted Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Bryant McFadden. Also Limas Sweed.

Once you get out the slide rules and the pocket protectors, the Steelers are neither as good at drafting WR’s – nor as bad at drafting DB’s – as the Hardo fans would have you believe.