Feats of Strength/Airing of Grievances: Starting offense improves, Nick Herbig shines, but Steelers drop preseason finale

If Pittsburgh Steelers fans know anything about me, I am nothing but a beacon of optimism.

My glass is always half-full. My black-and-gold glasses are always on. I always can find a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

As a result, even though the Steelers dropped a 24-17 decision in Detroit on Saturday afternoon to end their preseason 0-3, I prefer to focus on the fact that the club was winning 14-0 through much of the second quarter before the starters began leaving the game.

So, we are breaking from tradition, and even though the Steelers walked away with a loss in the Motor City, we are going to emphasize our “Feats of Strength” and minimize our “Airing of Grievances” from the preseason finale.

FEATS OF STRENGTH

Feeling better: Everyone was feeling a little edgy about the Steelers’ offense after the first two weeks. It had managed just two touchdowns and a field goal over the first two preseason losses.

On Saturday, though, the first-team “O” with Russell Wilson at quarterback scored a touchdown on the opening drive. Cordarrelle Patterson polished it off on a 31-yard run.

.@ceeflashpee84 getting shifty ????‍????

???? Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/COxKRnr6Mc pic.twitter.com/PTmqBiIEtb

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 24, 2024

Issac Seumalo, Zach Frazier and Dan Moore Jr. had strong blocks on that run. The offense also converted a third-and-11 with a nice pass from Russell Wilson to George Pickens on that drive.

“The (first unit) did a really good job of getting up and down the field,” Wilson said. “Which is what we wanted. We knew that we were able to do that. We’ve had a really great training camp and OTAs. So we finally put it out on the field under the lights.”

After the defense forced a turnover on Detroit’s first series, Justin Fields came into the game with some first-teamers remaining and led a 35-yard-touchdown drive on the ensuing sequence.

The two QBs were a combined 5 of 6 for 66 yards.

Herbig is hot: Nick Herbig continued his stellar preseason with two sacks.

Both came from the left outside linebacker position. The first one occurred when he pulled two blockers up the field, then he spun and rolled inside to finish the play with some help from Keeanu Benton and Larry Ogunjobi, folding the pocket on the other side.

On the second sack, Herbig just beat backup right tackle Colby Sorsdal up the field and forced a strip sack on Detroit quarterback Hendon Hooker.

Nick Herbig ????????

The second year #Steelers LB had TWO sacks today, including a strip sack. #Badgers

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— Andrew Bandstra (@andrewbandstra) August 24, 2024

“I’m just trying to have fun out there. You don’t know when your last game is going to be or when your last snap is going to be. So I’m trying to take advantage of every opportunity,” Herbig said. “With T.J. (Watt) and Alex (Highsmith) sitting out, I had an opportunity to start. So I just took advantage of it.”

Herbig has 3 ½ sacks in the preseason.

Front-Seven stars: Herbig wasn’t the only standout along the defensive front. Julius Welschof also had two sacks.

???????????? Cleanup sack for Steelers OLB Julius Welschof at the end of Q1. pic.twitter.com/Ff9dRA2nQW

— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) August 24, 2024

Isaiahh Loudermilk helped influence that play with Mark Robinson, who had eight tackles. That tied Robinson for the team lead with Zyon Gilbert.

Loudermilk also deflected a pass and got a tackle for loss. Dean Lowry deflected a pass and recovered that fumble caused by Herbig.

As was the case last week, Ogunjobi and Benton were disruptive and worked well in concert with Herbig. Benton and DeMarvin Leal also combined for a sack.

Additional props: Cameron Sutton had an interception. That had to feel good coming against his former team in Detroit.

The punt at the end wasn’t bad either.

Cam Sutton celebrates an interception with a kick most cornerbacks in Ireland would be proud of ????#HereWeGo #SteelersIreland pic.twitter.com/EmckLJcNEk

— Steelers Ireland (@SteelersIreland) August 24, 2024

The Steelers still need a clear-cut answer at slot corner until Sutton is eligible to return from suspension after Week 8.

It looked like undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop was in a position to win that job. But after suffering an injury heading into the Buffalo game, his momentum has waned.

“He hadn’t worked a lot,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “You’ve got to earn opportunity. Glad that he is healthy. We wanted to give him an opportunity. But when you go in the game, oftentimes it’s kind of reflective of the work that you do leading up to the performance, and to be quite honest with you, he has had limited availability. So, he wasn’t deserving of those reps that you spoke of.”

Thomas Graham Jr. got the start at that position instead.

• Speaking of punters, Cameron Johnston continues to impress. He had a long of 53 yards and averaged 45.3 yards. He also placed three punts inside the 20-yard line.

• Not much went right after the Steelers got a 14-0 lead. But Kyle Allen and Dez Fitzpatrick had a really pretty hookup in the third quarter that went for 59 yards. It led to a field goal.

AIRING OF GRIEVANCES

• The offensive line had some shaky moments again. There was a bad shotgun snap miscommunication between Frazier and Fields. Detroit recorded four sacks. Spencer Anderson was beaten badly on one of them.

Broderick Jones also had some problems again, including issues with this pass protection rep.

Horrible rep by Broderick Jones and Steelers o-line. pic.twitter.com/TobELhfzjD

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) August 24, 2024

He also was beaten on a run block sequence the play prior to Patterson’s touchdown.

• The Steelers weren’t great on third downs again. Aside from that early hookup between Wilson and Pickens, they were 2 of 9 in that regard. So make it 9 of 36 on possession downs over the three preseason games.

• The Lions had two kick returns of more than 30 yards. Isaiah Williams took one back 37 yards and also had a 16-yard punt return. “Locked on Lions” host Matt Dery warned us about him before the game during the “Breakfast With Benz”podcast last week. He’s a player the Steelers may want to pick up if he doesn’t make Detroit’s final cut.