Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: 1st-team offense shines, new defenders pop in Steelers' preseason win

Embracing the “it’s preseason for all of us” concept, our first Pittsburgh Steelers postgame “Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances” for 2023 isn’t exactly going to be biting or overwhelming.

NFL preseason games are scattered. As a result, I am as well.

But I think I hit most of the highlight points as the Steelers waltzed out of Tampa Bay with a 27-17 victory in the preseason opener.

Now, if the Steelers just do it 19 more times in a row before the playoffs start, then everyone will be happy …

… unless they fail to win a playoff game for a seventh straight year.

FEATS OF STRENGTH

More, please

If that’s what the expanded Steelers offense is supposed to become in Year 2 under quarterback Kenny Pickett, sign me up. I’m on board.

Coordinator Matt Canada’s first-team unit only had one series. It resulted in a touchdown — a 10-play drive that chewed up 83 yards in 5 minutes, 14 seconds.

Sure. Before we make the group into the 2007 New England Patriots, they were performing against a mixed defensive group from the sub-mediocre NFC South.

But five different people touched the ball. The runs worked. The passes worked. The pockets were clean enough. Yet, when protection did break down, Pickett used his legs to keep plays alive, including a pretty throw on the move to Diontae Johnson.

“It was nice going against a different jersey,” Pickett said on the KDKA-TV broadcast. “Our defense is really good. We’ve been competing every single day. To come out here and have success early on was the goal and the plan, and it worked out well.”

And, most importantly, the scoring play was a third-and-8 from 33 yards out. The Steelers only scored two passes from outside of the red zone last year. Plus, it was a pass into the middle of the field to George Pickens, who caught the ball and ran with it afterward.

Pickett to Pickens ????

????: Stream #PITvsTB on NFL+ https://t.co/bBFpXewtKp pic.twitter.com/Rhp6ZfXBWs

— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2023

Something he rarely was put in a position to do last year.

As for Pickett, he looked very sharp, 6 of 7 for 70 yards and a touchdown.

Good call

Wise choice by Mike Tomlin to avoid playing guys who just didn’t have to play.

Especially in heat that had a real-feel temperature of 101 degrees at 7 p.m.

I know Tomlin gave us the whole “if you are going to box, you have to spar” routine.

But T.J. Watt doesn’t have to spar. Neither does Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Patrick Peterson nor Minkah Fitzpatrick.

They didn’t Friday. That was smart. The risk-reward quotient wasn’t worth it.

Calling on Calvin

We all wondered what it would look like when speedy receiver Calvin Austin III would get on the field and actually play in a game after missing his entire rookie season with a foot injury.

Not bad, eh?

Austin had two jet sweeps in the first half for 23 yards. He drew a pass interference penalty on the first play of the second half. Then he scored a touchdown on a 67-yard bomb from Mason Rudolph.

Mason Rudolph going DEEP to Calvin Austin! ????

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— NFL (@NFL) August 12, 2023

As for Rudolph, I thought he actually looked a lot better in training camp last year than this year. But he deserves high praise Friday. He often made a lot out of nothing, playing with guys well down the depth chart.

Rudolph went 7 of 12 for 132 yards and that score with no interceptions.

“We’ve seen it all camp long, even last year in camp,” Rudolph said of Austin during the KDKA postgame show. “The guy can run. He’s a smart player. It was a point of emphasis trying to get him the ball. He did a great job on a couple of the runs. He runs by people. He’s got the extra gear. He’s a fast guy. I’m happy to help him out.”

Rudolph had a nice scramble too, a nifty 15-yard jaunt to move the chains late in the first half. He also managed to stand in the pocket and take a few hits while making throws.

Carrying it over

Two young defensive players who have often splashed at Saint Vincent College brought that momentum over to gameday in Tampa.

Nick Herbig has been a standout player on defense at training camp. He didn’t play much on defense until the second half. But the rookie outside linebacker from Wisconsin tallied 1.5 sacks and three tackles.

Got him ???? @nickherbig_

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— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 12, 2023

Also, Trenton Thompson has been quite good in the secondary over the past week. He had an interception of Kyle Trask.

PICKED OFF‼️

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— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 12, 2023

Thompson is a San Diego State alum who played one game with the New York Giants last year.

Noteworthy nominees

Here are a few other golf claps worthy of pointing out.

• The blocking was good on Anthony McFarland’s first-half touchdown run. Zach Gentry, Darnell Washington and Gunner Olszewski all got involved, and McFarland cashed in their efforts.

• Two of the much-maligned inside linebackers stood out. Kwon Alexander was flying around all over the field, making plays in the first half. Although he did get busted for lowering his helmet on a tackle.

Watch the play. Tell me what Alexander is supposed to do there. If he keeps the helmet high, he hits the receiver square in the chin and may get a flag anyway. If he goes low, he may blow out the guy’s knee in a useless preseason game.

The anal-retentive flags about helmet hits need to stop, but they never will. Defensive players can’t win.

Also, Bethel Park’s Nick Kwiatkoski had a sack.

• The Bucs committed 12 penalties to just six for the Steelers. Two of those Steelers penalties were effort penalties, including Alexander’s and Tanner Muse’s roughing the passer. Many of those incurred by the Bucs were holds and between the whistle flags, indicating they were reaching and grabbing a bit to keep up with some of the Steelers.

AIRING OF GRIEVANCES

All at once

The Steelers won by two scores, on the road, under brutal heat, in the first preseason game of the year. Most importantly, the first-team offense looked good.

So there is little to gripe about in the big picture. But a few negative notes are worth pointing out.

• In the second quarter, center Kendrick Green had one of the worst sequences I’ve ever seen from an offensive lineman. He got pushed backward all the way into Rudolph’s lap on one pass-blocking attempt, followed by a hold that drew four flags. Then he fired an errant snap back to Rudolph.

At this point, with that guy, if his fullback experiment doesn’t work out, he’s just not worth keeping.

Maybe Ben Roethlisberger was right after all.

• Cornerback James Pierre had 10 tackles. But he was beaten by Trey Palmer for Tampa Bay’s first touchdown, and he allowed a big first-down gain.

• The Steelers didn’t exactly escape this one injury free. Promising second-round rookie Keeanu Benton (ankle), Kwiatkoski (arm) and Duke Dawson (knee) all got banged up during the contest.

• The second-team offense had some issues on its first two drives with Mitch Trubisky under center. It was by no means all on Trusbisky’s shoulders, though. The first sequence was a three-and-out. The next was a hope shot down the sideline from Trubisky to Cody White that got batted in the air for an interception.

The next drive resulted in the McFarland touchdown after starting on the Tampa 47.