Steelers inside the ropes: Defense again holds twice in 2-minute drills

After sweeping a pair of 2-minute drills during the “Friday Night Lights” practice last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense improved to 4-0 in such situations during this training camp by holding on two staged drives to end Tuesday’s practice at Saint Vincent.

On a day in which the players donned full pads, a long practice culminated with a tipped interception by Juan Thornhill to end the first-teamers’ segment. Then, the second-team defense made a goal-line stand on four consecutive plays from the 1-yard line, the final coming on a dropped pass by running back Kenneth Gainwell.

The Aaron Rodgers-led first-team offense started off hot when taking over in their own territory. Coach Mike Tomlin made sure to yell to both sides that each had one timeout to use. Rodgers completed a quick succession of passes in a hurry-up offense, connecting twice each with Pat Freiermuth and Jaylen Warren to advance the offense to the defense’s 26-yard line.

After throwing the ball into the ground on a second-and-5 snap when no one was open quickly, Rodgers on the next play targeted Roman Wilson on a skinny post. Rodgers was trying to thread the needle into a tight window with Brandin Echols in good coverage, and Echols got a piece of the ball — Rodgers seemed to contend he also struck Wilson for what should have been an interference flag — and it bounced up into the arms of Thornhill.

• Led by fourth-stringer Skylar Thompson, the second-unit offense similarly moved the ball initially. Max Hurleman had consecutive catches to advance the ball into “plus” territory, and Thompson hit veteran Robert Woods as Woods was coming back to the ball near the right pylon. It was ambiguous if Woods “scored,” but Tomlin marked the ball at the 1. After a rushing Eku Leota batted down one Thompson pass and Chuck Clark had a pass breakup in the end zone, by the time Thompson lined up the offense for fourth down Tomlin made him call “timeout.” The incomplete pass to Gainwell was the ultimate result.

• The offense fared much better in the “seven shots” 2-point conversion drill that starts the team portion of practice daily. Five of the seven snaps were scores, including all three from the Rodgers-led first team. The first was a fade to DK Metcalf that he easily caught while Echols tried to cover. The second came after Rodgers took advantage of good protection and found tight end Jonnu Smith break free wide open, and the third when Wilson slid along the back of the end zone to corral a pass.

• Mason Rudolph and Will Howard each split two snaps — albeit, the former’s score was via a handoff to Kaleb Johnson. Howard’s score was to Brandon Johnson as he ran across the back of the end zone and under the goalposts. Rudolph completed his only pass, but tight end JJ Galbreath was tackled just before crossing the goal line by Clark and Miles Killebrew.

• The end of “seven shots” came on an attempted draw run by Evan Hull that was blown up for a loss by Jack Sawyer. DeMarvin Leal — listed at 290 pounds — picked up the ball and ran while he held it out and did a playful mock run through coaches and other onlookers. As the horn sounded, Leal punted the ball high into the air, drawing laughs.

• Wilson had his most visible practice of camp. He had three catches in team drills, including a catch more than 20 yards downfield from Rodgers.

• Kaleb Johnson had a long run in 11-on-11 play, bursting through the line on the left side and showing speed to break away.

• Rodgers, 41, still has the “oomph” on his proverbial fastball. Connor Heyward learned the hard way when he was open on a seam route but didn’t turn around in time for a pass from the quick-release Rodgers. The ball clanked off Heyward’s facemask and into the arms of linebacker Patrick Queen for an interception.

• Not long after, Rodgers threw to Heyward on a similar route. This time, he caught it.

• Playcalls during padded practices (when the run game is a legit threat) have featured plenty of play-action, rollout/waggle-type plays by Rodgers.

• With Calvin Austin III (and Donte Kent) out because of injury, the punt-return line was shorter. Woods at one point muffed three consecutive attempted catches.

• The open competition at punter between Cameron Johnston and Corliss Waitman is a doozy. On Tuesday, each took turns seemingly outdoing the other by booting a succession of punts that traveled 70-plus yards (meaning in the range of 55-65 official yards).