Inside the ropes: Plenty of long balls thrown by Steelers quarterbacks

Plenty has been made recently about the ability (or lack thereof) of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense to stretch the field by throwing deep.

It was only one practice in a seven-week preseason, but if Monday’s training-camp session at Heinz Field is any indication, the Steelers won’t have any trouble airing it out. A theme Monday was long completed passes in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills.

The headliner was a “touchdown” of about 60 yards to start the second 11-on-11 session, with Ben Roethlisberger hitting JuJu Smith-Schuster. The play comes with a caveat: In a game, Alex Highsmith might have sacked Roethlisberger after beating tackle Zach Banner cleanly, but Smith-Schuster made the catch over veteran cornerback Joe Haden on the right sideline and raced into the end zone.

In a 7-on-7 drill later in practice, Roethlisberger threw a ball about 50 yards to Diontae Johnson for a “touchdown.”. Aagain, it was Haden who was victimized. A few snaps later, undrafted rookie Isaiah McKoy had the prettiest catch of the bunch, laying out for a 40-yard Mason Rudolph pass down the left sideline with DeMarkus Acy in coverage.

Even fullback Derek Watt got into the act during 11-on-11s, taking off virtually uncovered down the left sideline from the H-back spot and catching a pass of approximately 25 yards early in the team portion of practice.

• The offense made a comeback in the “seven shots” 2-point conversion simulation drill, scoring on the final three snaps after the defense had held on three of the first four. With first-teamers playing, the only score was Roethlisberger to Smith-Schuster on the first snap. The first-team defense got plenty of pressure on Roethlisberger on the second snap, and an attempted fade to RB Najee Harris on snap No. 3 never really had a chance (LB Ulysees Gilbert III was in coverage). Rudolph went 1 for 2 directing the offense, failing when a pass for WR Anthony Johnson was knocked down by CB Justin Layne but succeeding when he hit RB Anthony McFarland running across the field after he’d lined up wide to the right. QB Dwayne Haskins hit rookie TE Pat Freiermuth for a score (he fended off S Donovan Stiner) and then ran one in to clinch the offense’s victory on the final snap. It should be noted, though, that during a real game Haskins might have been tackled on his keeper running to the right. LB Jamar Watson, S Lamont Wade and Stiner were in his vicinity but surely let up to a degree, adhering to protocol of not hitting a quarterback during practice.
• The “touchdown” by McFarland came while he was on the field in concert with fellow RB Kalen Ballage. It was rare in the Randy Fichtner offense for two tailbacks to be on the field at the same time, but it happened frequently during Monday’s practice. Usually, though, it was deployed with the second-team offense.
• McFarland shined during a period of practice that split the roster into five groups with differing drills. McFarland was part of a one-on-one open-field tackling situation featuring running backs and inside linebackers. It was a display of why the Steelers used a fourth-round pick on McFarland (last year): He can be electric in space.
• While that was going on, again tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts schooled his players on sealing the edge during a blocking drill against outside linebackers. Youngsters Freiermuth and Zach Gentry held their own.
• Newcomer Marcus Baugh appeared to struggle in the blocking drill. Later, during an 11-on-11 snap, he jumped offsides and then the targeted pass to him wasn’t completed.
• Undrafted rookie WR Rico Bussey didn’t shine as much as he did during a practice late last week, but he did provide a highlight when he made a one-handed catch.
• Highsmith and Melvin Ingram continued to switch sides, at times alternating left and right outside linebacker during drills while T.J. Watt continues to sit out.

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