Steelers inside the ropes: Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett falter in live 2-minute drill

The first preseason game ended with a successful 2-minute drill for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.

The ensuing practice was not nearly as fruitful in a simulation of that situation.

Neither Mitch Trubisky nor Kenny Pickett could guide the offense 68 yards down the field after getting the ball at the “minus” 32 yard-line with 1 minute, 48 seconds on the clock.

Trubisky’s possession was aided by some generous officiating decisions by coach Mike Tomlin (as is his discretion), who twice gave better spots of the ball and at the end seemed to give an additional play to the offense after time expired.

It was for naught, though, as Trubisky’s pass to the left pylon was not handled by Diontae Johnson. He was coming back to the ball and got his hands on it but was blanketed in coverage by Cameron Sutton. Johnson reacted in disgust, throwing his helmet to the ground — it rolled about 15 yards into the legs of tight end Jace Sternberger, who was standing on the sideline facing the other way.

The previous snap, Trubisky heaved a ball to the back corner of the opposite side of the end zone for George Pickens, but Ahkello Witherspoon batted it away.

The biggest gains of that “drive” were three catches by Pat Freiermuth.

• Pickett was intercepted by Arthur Maulet on his second attempt of his 2-minute drive, Maulet stepping in front of Gunner Olszewski on an inside route to end practice while the defense convened for its “clay-pigeon shoot” celebration that has become custom for turnovers during this camp. Pickett’s only completion was to Olszewski, for about 8 yards on the first snap of the drill.

• The punctuating play ruined what otherwise had been a solid practice for Pickett, who was accurate during all team periods and guided scores on both of his snaps during the seven shots 2-point conversion simulation. One score was a run by Master Teague. Pickett’s completed pass was a perfectly thrown fade to Freiermuth in the back left corner of the end zone.

• The offense scored once on four Trubisky snaps (Johnson just crossing the plane), although one of the defense’s stops was a Jaylen Warren draw play and another perhaps could have been scored a Steven Sims touchdown (he extended for the left pylon after catching a bubble screen) if not for Minkah Fitzpatrick coming in alone on Trubisky for what surely would have been a sack off a blitz if play was “live.”

• Mason Rudolph finished up with the final snap of seven shots, completing a pass to Cody White. White was stood up at the goal line and was ruled to have not crossed the plane.

• In his return to practice after a two-week absence because of a foot injury, Najee Harris did not take part in seven shots. While he did carry the ball some in team drills, the degree to which the Steelers are being cautious with him was displayed when, on an outside run during a live tackling period, coaches blew the whistle before he encountered a defender.

• Other running backs were not afforded such courtesy during a run-heavy practice conducted in full pads. Warren on one run displayed a nifty cutback to the inside after initially trying to make it around the left end.

• Pickens had one of his more quiet days of camp. On Trubisky’s first throw of the second 11-on-11 period, he looked to Pickens the entire time and attempted a pass to him despite double coverage. Sutton almost had an interception.

• Delontae Scott beat Jake Dixon clean on a team rep, blowing up a play in which Rudolph was rolling left. Scott makes plays in camp and could be in line for a backup job at outside linebacker.

Olszewski, Sims, Tyler Snead and Anthony McFarland took turns returning kickoffs during a drill. Warren was the up back.

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