The game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on Sunday was meant to be a real test of two relatively evenly-matched squads. After injuries started plaguing key players, both teams played off-pace, yet continued to challenge each other. There were five big things the Steelers came away with after the comeback win.
James Harrison still has it
After Green Bay was able to score a touchdown with an untouched Eddie Lacy and follow it up with a two-point conversion, the Steelers trailed. Thanks in part to a nice punt, the Steelers pinned Green Bay deep on their next offensive series. Enter Aaron Rodgers and James Harrison. Looking like a man half his age, Harrison beat the block and brought Rodgers down in the end zone for a safety and the first points for the Steelers. If Jarvis Jones and the young linebackers needed an example of how the defense scores, Harrison gave them a veteran freebie, proving he’s nowhere close to being finished with football.
Six Sacks – Six Players
Aside from Harrison, Bud Dupree and Ian Wild joined three other teammates on providing pressure on the Packers quarterbacks, helping the Steelers earn sick sacks. The upfront pressure was a welcome boost to a defensive backfield still looking for an identity.
Roethlisberger and Wheaton chemistry
Although Ben Roethlisberger only played a little over one quarter of the game, he passed for 100 yards and a touchdown. One of his best passes went to Markus Wheaton for the score. Wheaton and Roethlisberger appear to have continued building a relationship of trust on the filed, something that will only improve the overall offense for the Steelers. Wheaton finished with three receptions for 42 yards and the score on the day.
Former college teammates help rally Steelers
Tyler Murphy spent last fall at Boston College throwing passes to guys like receiver Shakim Phillips. Both have ended up on the Steelers roster competing for a spot. On Sunday, the pair helped mount a Steelers comeback win. Early in the fourth quarter, Murphy caught a 22-yard toss from Landry Jones for a touchdown, placing the Steelers just one point behind Green Bay on the scoreboard. Phillips secured the win with a 20-yard reception from Jones with just over four minutes left in the game. Murphy led all Steelers receivers on the day with four receptions for 61 yards and a score.
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DrGeorge
August 24, 2015 at 11:03 am
Let’s put this preseason game into perspective. The final score was a technical victory only. Our first string D couldn’t stop the Packers first string Offense on the ground or in the air. Our offense managed one TD and stalled thereafter, even after the Packers’ first team D left the field. In sum, the game gave Steelers’ fans plenty to worry about.
1. On Green Bay’s first possession, the offense drove the ball 80 yards in 10 plays, with Eddie Lacey chewing up big chunks of yardage on the ground and the aerial game working to perfection. After the TD, the Packers successfully went for two. The Steelers D looked lost. The Packers TE, Jordan, tore his ACL (untouched) on the Heinz Field turf. Nothing else stopped the Packers.
2. On the Packer’s next possession, Harrison did get a sack on Rodgers and scored a safety. But the sack victimized Don Bartley, who had never played an NFL game at left tackle, and the sack came in the confined space of the Packer’s end zone where Rodgers couldn’t elude the rush.
3. Later, our first team D got a sack on the Packer’s second string QB and offensive line. It proved to be an aberration. The Packers offense soon clicked and scored again and made a 2-point conversion again (Harris, this time). The half-time score was 16-9 against our first team D. Admittedly, the Steelers displayed a few flashes of defensive ability, but over all the D looked badly over-matched even against the Packer’s second string.
4. In the second half, where marginal players on both sides vied to make rosters, the play and score hardly mattered. But even then, the Steelers found success only late, largely against third string Packer defenders. Landry Jones threw two touchdowns, thanks to heroic efforts by his receivers, but also missed receivers badly and threw a wounded-duck interception; in short, Jones remained inconsistent – but with the injury to Gradkowski, he is now our #2 QB.
5. Meanwhile, injuries claimed Pouncey at center and Tuitt at DE. The last is the more significant. Cody Wallace played well in place of Pouncey. It remains to be seen if anyone can replace Tuitt. Kruger, Walton, and Davis have yet to play against first team opposition.
6. Some of our backups did shine in this game. Phillips and Murphy impressed at WR; Will Johnson caught and ran the ball well; Doran Grant played CB with good technique; Villanueva played well enough to make Adams expendable; Dismukes and Dieffenbach looked like solid developmental O-linemen. So there were some positives. But anyone who found this performance an encouraging harbinger for the coming season saw a different game than I did.
GameCock12
August 24, 2015 at 11:38 pm
Maybe why there were only 4 positives listed? This Steelers team needs help! Every time one of the writers says it, they get crapped on by Yinzers. When they only mention positives, there is a throng of people ready to point out what went wrong. Effin’ Jagoffs need to get on board or shut up.
OhioSteelers
August 24, 2015 at 11:41 pm
Wow. Yinzers, Jagoffs? Guess it’s true that Steelers fans love to crap on each other. lol Go Bengals.