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Pre-Season Week 1 Observations.....

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Chicoman

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I'm just going to put down some observations of what I saw in this game and players who stood out....

Injuries:
Karl Joseph - Has an ankle injury that is being evaluated.


Mitch Trubisky - Led the starters 90 yd drive to open the game as the Steelers took a 7-0 lead. All 3 QB's looked good!
Steelers O-line (First Team) They are definitely still a work in progress....I thought Cole looked good at Center. Daniels at RG looked like nothing special when it came to pass protection, his run blocking seemed good. Dan Moore is just a guy.....In the future the Steelers will need an anchor at LT. We can't have him protecting our QB's blindside! It's going to cost us a loss or two this season.
Mason Rudolph - He did good through a nice TD to Pickens.....As a Steeler fan hearing the fans booing him was something classless that I'd expect from an Fanbase like Cleveland.
George Pickens - My god this kid might be the steal of the draft. What makes him so good is the control he has with his body. Kinda reminds me of Harold Charmichael (Eagles WR in the 1970's)
Anthony McFarland - He had a good showing tonight with some nice runs....being able to finally see what he can do for this offense he flashed tonight
Gunner Olszewski - He is more than just a special teams guy. Average hands but he can play WR. Caught the TD pass from Trubisky and had a nice catch and run earlier in the same drive
Kenny Pickett - 13 for 15 for 95 yds 2 TD's including the game winning throw with 3 seconds left in the game. Hearing the fans cheering "KENNY, KENNY, KENNY" and seeing the entire Pitt Panthers team in the stands watching the game and supporting him it's really hard not to root for this kid. I hope he quieted some of his critics....the kid can play!
Jaylen Warren - This kid had a couple nice runs.....doesn't go down with first contact....He could be the guy to knock Benny Snell off this roster but Snell is very good in Pass Protection
Connor Heyward - Had some nice catches....seems like he has really good hands out there. I think he makes this roster over Rader only because Zach Gentry has sorta taken Rader's place when it comes to a blocking TE.
Demarvin Leal - This kid flashed a couple times....almost had a sack. He showed how disruptive he can be. Can't wait to see more next game.
Tre Norwood - Had a couple pass breakups....he's a backup to have on this roster
Steven Sims - This kid has some moves....had a nice inside handoff from Pickett in the 3rd QTR and a nice punt return in the first half. Not sure he can make the roster though.
Master Teague III - Here's a young kid who is a LOAD running the football. Again I doubt he makes the roster but he's an interesting prospect.
Myles Jack - Seeing him at ILB and watching him shoot the gaps and tackle the ball carrier is nice to see. That's what you expect from an ILB in a 3-4 Defense. Good pick up!
Devin Bush - I've said it before and I'll say it again....He's not a football player and sure as hell isn't cut out to play LB'er in a 3-4 Defense. He is a bigger BUST than Jarvis Jones! The sooner he's gone the better off this Defense will be. I'm not sure if going after Roquan Smith from the Bears is an option but he would really solidify our LBing corps. Maybe we can trade Bush straight up for Smith!
Mark Robinson - Made a nice splash play in the 4th QTR to create a turnover and get the ball back for Pickett & the Offense to win the game. He was untouched but just the fact that he went right to the football shows me he's got game
Miles Killebrew - After Karl Joseph went down he came in and played a good all around game.
Damontae Kazee - This kid was around the football and definitely should make the roster and be part of this secondary.

Feel free to add your thoughts below....
 
I wanted to add to this.....Terryl Austin our new DC had the Defense doing something tonight that really confused Geno Smith several times by mixing up the coverages in the Secondary back there. Just something interesting to take note of.
 
QBs
Mitch looked pretty good. I had a feeling once the games started he'd show a little bit better than the reports out of training camp. Rudolph was solid with the best pass of the night to Pickens for the TD, however, he did put one right in the numbers of a defender that was a pretty easy INT that was dropped. Pickett didn't take any chances but executed very well. Strong opening performance from the rookie.

RBs
The game finally has slowed down for McFarland. He used to look like he was running on ice and he did a very nice job setting up blocks and finding holes. Warren was impressive as well, but did put the ball on the ground. Teague showed some good power running between the tackles. I do think Warren lived up to his hype and should make a strong push for a roster spot.

WRs/TEs
Pickens was as advertised. He'll need to show against better talent, but he made some tough catches and already knows where to place his feet on tight sideline catches. Gunner found ways to get open and should add value on special teams, so he had that going for him. I wasn't big on drafting a No. 3 tight end over adding depth on the OL or at EDGE, but Heyward has deceptive speed for the position. He is also a guy who fits Canada's offense well (and a guy who will probably get too many touches in said offense). Great broken tackle for the score by Vaughns. Sims didn't do much on offense but his punt return was fun.

OL
There were some signs of growth and other areas where the same issues were persistent. Dan Moore had moments but got destroyed on Rudolph's sack/fumble. It was a big problem for Moore last year and discouraging to see it creep up in Week 1 of preseason already. Cole looked much better than Green at center. Okorafor is what he is. Daniels was relative disappointing in pass protection, IMO. I expected better. I didn't even notice Green, which is a plus.

DL
Most of the big guns didn't play and that's a good thing because this group stunk. Over 6 YPC for the Seahawks tonight. Even Loudermilk's presence on the field couldn't make a difference. Anytime Wormley or Mondeaux are on the field you know you're going to get shredded on the ground. Chico, glad you saw some from Leal because the few snaps I keyed in on him he didn't do anything. Davis with a booming hit to close out the game.

LBs
Myles Jack knows how to play the position. He filled a gap once and made the stop and Tomlin saw enough. Fantastic to see. Bush was invisible and Poni shared a highlight on Twitter of Bush just being completely inactive with the defense. I was tired of watching No. 93 chase guys around and then he exploded for the huge strip sack. The Steelers have absolutely nothing behind Watt and Highsmith.

DBs
Witherspoon played physical before his injury. I didn't notice Wallace at all. Maulet was active in both good and bad ways. Norwood had a couple of PBUs. Joseph seemed to suffer a pretty significant injury leaving on the cart.

An entertaining opening preseason game without any of the star players on the field. Definitely encouraging moving forward in many areas with a few concerns.
 
Aside from the game, I hate the new NFL numbers rules. A running back wearing 9, LBs in the 40s who will actually make the team and aren't camp fodder, and at one point the Steelers entire DL was wearing numbers guards should be wearing. Nearly impossible to tell what position guys are playing now.
 
It's early but if Snell is injured any longer, McFarland, Warren and Teague would be my RB's behind Najee. Warren has to get a spot with his running and receiving. McFarland finally showed something and Teague looked good as well. 2 more preseason games to go but as of now, GM TDX27 bounces Snell. Neither Warren or Teague will stick on the PS.
 
TDX27 said:
It's early but if Snell is injured any longer, McFarland, Warren and Teague would be my RB's behind Najee. Warren has to get a spot with his running and receiving. McFarland finally showed something and Teague looked good as well. 2 more preseason games to go but as of now, GM TDX27 bounces Snell. Neither Warren or Teague will stick on the PS.
Click to expand...
I think Teague easily makes it onto the Practice squad… GMs are obsessed with breakaway speed in backs these days… a pure power runner isn’t going to draw much attention until he does it at the NFL level… the kid is raw enough you could easily ps him
 
Best thing was the energy some of these new players showed. Tackling technique, I still do not understand with the steelers. McFarland and Warren looked very good. McFarland got away from the stutter steps he did last year. Defensive line did not do so well even though starters were not in.
 
I thought all 3 QBs looked good to great... Mason made a couple of bad throws/decisions under pressure, but made some good throws too. I didn't like the 2 yard pass offense when Pickett was in there. At one point he completed passes on first down and second down and we still were facing 3rd and 6. Seems like a staple of our offense, sadly. Still, all 3 QBs looked like QBs that can play.

All the RBs looked great. I was surprised how good McFarland looked. I thought Teague and Warren looked like big upgrades over the last few years. They probably won't even make the roster.

If Pickens, Gunner, and Boykin are our 3,4,5 or 4,5,6 receivers, I think we're in great shape at WR

The OL still needs a lot of work. There were some holes for the RBs, which was nice to see, but also a lot of holes for pass rushers. Occasionally, a QB had plenty of time to throw, which would be a nice change over the last few years.

We'd better hope Cam Heyward can carry the d-line again. Seattle pretty much ran at will, and our front was getting blown 3 yards off the line consistently for 4 quarters. If Mondeaux continues to see the field in the regular season, that will tell us something right there. I was hoping to see at least one real strong play out of Loudermilk.

Miles Jack shot in one time and smacked the running back down in the backfield. Devin Bust again showed everyone what he isn't. I didn't see much out of Tuszka to make me think he's more than just a guy.

There wasn't much pass rush at all for the Steelers throughout the game, but the late strip sack was probably THE play of the game.

I thought the DBs looked generally good. We might be pretty decent overall at DB. Several guys that can play. Of course they were facing Geno Smith and Drew Lock...
 
I think Rudolph is definite trade bait right now. He has to be better than a lot of the backups around the league.... Seattle, Chicago, LA Rams, Atlanta, Detroit, Jets, Vikings.

I mean, the Jets already have an injury. If any of those teams get an injury, I would think Rudolph starts looking pretty decent to have on the roster.
 
After watching the game I came away thinking Spillane is not the answer at IlB.
 
Chicoman said:
I wanted to add to this.....Terryl Austin our new DC had the Defense doing something tonight that really confused Geno Smith several times by mixing up the coverages in the Secondary back there. Just something interesting to take note of.
Click to expand...
I agree w/ everything in the first two post and I'll add...

WE SCORED 32 POINTS!!!
 
I'm kinda wondering if it's too late to just switch to a 4-3 at this point, and just cut out the 2nd ILB and just stick with Miles Jack in the middle.
 
Steelz said:
I'm kinda wondering if it's too late to just switch to a 4-3 at this point, and just cut out the 2nd ILB and just stick with Miles Jack in the middle.
Click to expand...
Would not matter… tomlins defense is mostly in non 3/4 or 4/3 formations… they basically utilize two ilbs as strong safeties with two guys more or less playing free safety… they need another pass coverage ilb
 
I missed most of the first half (for some reason they were playing a football life instead of the game on NFLN here) but from what I did see, it appears the receiving corps could be special this year. Run defense and depth still look suspect. As good as Pickett looked against the 3s and 4s I'd rather not see him on the field until they prove they can protect him. Let the vets break in this new line and let the rook sit and learn for at least a season. I have zero expectations going into a season for the first time in a while; just hoping to see improvements on both lines and better fundamentals all around.
 
madinsomniac said:
Would not matter… tomlins defense is mostly in non 3/4 or 4/3 formations… they basically utilize two ilbs as strong safeties with two guys more or less playing free safety… they need another pass coverage ilb
Click to expand...
Pass coverage ILBs are tough to come by and that's why I think we saw Marcus Allen evolve into his role. When it comes to Spillane, at least you know he can do a few things well. I'm not sure Bush offers much of anything in terms of positive play from what we've seen.
 
My observation is I don't make any observations. Its the first preseason game!
 
Bush was as difficult to watch as ever, and Buddy Johnson seems to be a taller, slower version of him, with the same glaring lack of instincts at inside linebacker. It is truly amazing to me how easily they find themselves washed out and nowhere near the play.

Who was drafted 10th overall and who was taken at #140? Hard to tell the difference. If I wasn't a Steelers fan, and I was watching them for the first time, I'd assume that both of these guys were undrafted free agents. Camp bodies. In there because of injury.
 
QB-
Trubisky showed great poise and athleticism. He did a nice job moving around and extending plays. He seems most comfortable with intermediate routes.
Rudolph is more of a statue back there but he pushed the ball down field and took the most risk. He did try to fit one in after staring down his receiver. Probably best to pull it down and run with it at that point or dump it to a back. But he definitely was the most polished.
Pickett really didn’t push the ball at all. He looked good but very safe. I like that they’re building him slowly and building confidence. He executed what they asked and he got the ball into his playmakers hands.

RB-
McFarland showed a little something. He ran strong up the middle and had some nice runs to the outside. Not sure if it’s enough especially since there’s some competition.
Jaylen Warren looked good. Tough runner to bring down and showed a little something in the passing game. I think it’s down to Warren and McFarland for the final RB spot.
Teague really runs hard and I hope we can stash him on the practice squad because I think he has potential.

WR-
Pickens route running, body adjustments, hands and blocking makes me excited for our future. He could easily make Johnson tradable after 2022 if a long term deal can't be worked out.
Gunner Olszewski showed he is more than a return man. I think with Miller getting banged up that Gunner has firmly grabbed a roster spot. Miles Boykin probably jumps ahead of Miller too as he had a nice showing and was a solid special teams contributor.
I wish we could have see Calvin Austin but I feel his camp and draft position should firmly place him on the 53 man. Steve Sims shows he has some wheels and upside I just think he ends up being the odd man out. I think the Steelers keep 6 and try to stash someone on the PS. Sims would fit that bill.

TE-
Connor Heyward looked really good. I was definitely wrong about him in my pre-draft assessment. He probably isn't big enough to be a TE or strong enough to be a FB but as an H-back he really has found a niche. A guy who is going to be a dump off safety valve and get you those tough 5+ yards when everything is covered down field.
Radar I still like but feel he finds himself on the practice squad with Heyward having more versatility.
Sternberger looks to be a smooth athlete but I think he is odd man out.

OL-
Moore looks like a liability at LT still. He got owned by the rookie Mafe.
Chuks looked strong at RT. I am cautiously optimistic about his new contract.
Mason Cole looked solid at center. Not Dawson or Pouncey but steady Eddy.
Green looked a lot more comfortable at guard. I think Ben was right when he said he has a future at guard, not center.
James Daniels did not look good in pass protection which is a concern. He did look like a stud in run blocking.
IMO Haeg gets the swing tackle spot and we don't keep another tackle on the 53 man. They'll stash another on the PS.
They'll probably go with just Daniels, Green and Dotson at the guard and then Cole and Hassenauer at center.
If they keep 9 my guess is Trent Scott is the guy.

DL-
Leal had a nice couple plays. Strong and disrupting. Needs a season to develop but I feel he will be a force in 2023 as he probably doesn't get a hat unless there's an injury this season.
Loudermilk didn't overly impress but I read he is having a good camp so I will wait and see. He did get a PD to his credit.
Mondeaux is definitely a hustler. He might not have the athleticism as the above mentioned but he is a high motor guy. Hard to cut effort players but he's on the bubble.
Davis Twins. I think the Steelers stash at least one on the PS. Probably nothing more than depth guys and I feel they're expendable if Alualu and Ogunjobl are healthy.

ILB-
Devin Bush is just bad. He is scared to tackle. It is that simple. He gets to the hole and instead of driving through the running back to stop for a minimal gain he literally stops and watches the RB cut around him and then chases. He shouldn't be on the team. I would take Buddy Johnson over him in a heartbeat.
Mark Robinson showed up on the tape. Again I was wrong about him in my pre-draft assessment. He might not have the athleticism to be the guy but he does have the mentality to make a 53 man, be a good spot starter, and an awesome special teams guy. Maybe he can develop into more but if we can get a quality backup and special teams ace I will be happy.

OLB-
We are in trouble if TJ or Highsmith gets hurt. Doesn't look like we have any real depth here. I would definitely look to upgrade after the final cuts.
Tuszka was ate up on almost every snap. Scott didn't flash. I hope Avery can show something next week.

CB-
One of the stronger positions on defense.
Wallace looks solid and Witherspoon was really flying around before hurting his shoulder. Hopefully just a boo-boo. Sutton looks like a natural fit at nickel and Maulet looks to be a very good backup at nickel. Pierre is a bit of a risk taker but having him as a backup will be nice instead of relying on him to start.

S-
Kazee was real active out there. Was around the ball all the time. I think I would rather start him over Edmunds.
Norwood is an underrated cover safety. He really attacks the ball when it is in the air. I think he should push for playing time in dime sets for sure.

Weaknesses IMO is Bush in run defense, Moore at LT, and pass rush behind our starters. I don't think there will be a LT to grab off the wire so we are stuck there. Bush should just be cut or traded. And I hope there's someone worth picking up off the waiver wire for a 3rd pass rusher. Doesn't even have to be good in sealing the edge. We just need someone that if injury happens can come in on 3rd and long and pressure the QB.
 
It's a shame Calvin Austin couldn't play. I'd love to see what his speed would add to the WR corps. A lot of tough decisions at this position coming up. I though Boykin looked really good - catching the tough balls. How did anyone let Pickens make it to the second round? I think he'll make a lot of teams regret not picking him. Even Olszewski looked good - although I'm wondering if some DB on Seattle got knocked down a peg for missing an assignment so badly on the first TD.
 
GMC said:
I missed most of the first half (for some reason they were playing a football life instead of the game on NFLN here) but from what I did see, it appears the receiving corps could be special this year. Run defense and depth still look suspect. As good as Pickett looked against the 3s and 4s I'd rather not see him on the field until they prove they can protect him. Let the vets break in this new line and let the rook sit and learn for at least a season. I have zero expectations going into a season for the first time in a while; just hoping to see improvements on both lines and better fundamentals all around.
Click to expand...
Our third team run defenders against their first at times. Heyward, Alualu, etc.were absent. Some run concern there for me it is just more depth issues and Bush.
 
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If Moore doesn’t get better in pass pass protection quickly, perhaps we make an offer to Daryl williams, if nobody picked him up yet…
 
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