5 things we learned from Steelers-Giants
Posted by Nick DeWitt
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On Saturday night, Pittsburgh fans got a look at the future. The 20-16 loss to the New York Giants wasn’t impressive in any sense, but several moments illuminated what we can expect in 2014 and what the coaches need two fix before regular season games begin.
Five key points stood out from Saturday night’s matchup. Here’s what we learned from it.
Notable young contributors
Dri Archer is the latest in a line of attempts to bring a Darren Sproles-type player to the Steelers. If his 46-yard romp through New York’s first-string defense is any indication, he’s on the right track. His speed brings a new and different dynamic to Pittsburgh’s passing game and potentially the ground attack as well.
Sean Spence’s long-awaited return from a horrific knee injury was one of the more welcome sights in an ugly game. Spence started in place of injured rookie Ryan Shazier and showed off the speed and agility that Pittsburgh saw when they drafted him in 2012. If he’s really back, he will make things very interesting in the interior of the defense.
Young players need to make a difference. These two, along with linebacker Jarvis Jones (one sack) and Shamarko Thomas (excellent pressure and coverage) are part of the new core of a team that has turned over much of its roster.
Lack of offensive line depth
While the first offensive line unit looked relatively cohesive and did a nice job of keeping things together in their brief stint, the backups were at the other end of the spectrum.
New position coach Mike Munchak is expected to give Pittsburgh a good line for the first time in many years. While Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t need perfection in front of him, the rushing attack is dependent upon solid blocking.
The backups showed that Pittsburgh might just be one lineman away from disaster. If any of the starting five get hurt, there isn’t, at this point, anything inspiring behind them. As the Steelers have rarely fielded the same unit in back to back games in their attempt to find something that works, it is essential that the young backups get better and more consistent before Cleveland shows up for the first regular season game.
An anemic offensive effort
First preseason games are notoriously boring and full of lifeless play calls, but the fact remains that Pittsburgh couldn’t move the ball. That is nothing new, and dates back to the last few years of the Steelers being unable to score touchdowns when it counts late in games.
Pittsburgh’s first team offense failed in the red zone after Archer’s long catch and run. The backups fared no better. The Steelers only touchdown Saturday night came from the defense.
That has to change and should be Todd Haley’s major focus moving forward. Pittsburgh doesn’t lack weapons and they have an elite quarterback. They need to put up points and stop relying on a defense that has gone from older and slower to younger and less experienced.
Power running back in the ‘Burgh?
When Jerome Bettis left town, it was the end of an era for the Steelers. They moved to a more pass-heavy attack. It worked, but the team has never been the same and have always had a nagging feeling of lost identity.
Last year, Le’Veon Bell seemed to bring back a little of that magic. This year, Pittsburgh is relying on a backfield featuring Bell and newcomer LeGarrette Blount. Both are bigger backs who are excellent at putting their heads down and getting the tough yards.
On the first offensive possession against New York, both backs looked good and combined for 28 yards on six carries. Bell added a catch out of the backfield. It’s early and small sample sizes beg for caution, but these two might be this era’s power running duo.
Rejuvenated defense
Thomas, Jones, and Spence are just part of the story for Dick LeBeau’s new-look defense. Add in Ryan Shazier, out last night with an injury, Jason Worilds, Cortez Allen, Mike Mitchell, and Stephon Tuitt and you have a unit that could once again be near the top of the league.
Against New York, the Steelers played suffocating defense except on two drives. One, an 80-yard score by running back Reshad Jennings, looked a bit fluky and was the result of a breakdown in communication. The other, a late drive to retake the lead, was more troublesome but came against players unlikely to make the final cut.
Pittsburgh will rely on its young stars to begin supplanting their older veterans this year. After one game, there’s a lot to be excited about on a defense that finally has gotten much younger and faster.
I'm still not on board with Worilds. I suspect we paid him this year, just to plug the hole while we saw what we could get in the Draft. I expect him to be gone after this year and not to really cause too much of a ripple in his departure.
Wheaton did pretty well, I thought, given that he was drawing the majority of the coverage - a situation that probably won't arise often with Antonio Brown on the field.
Tuitt is huge. Better yet, he might well become a huge thorn in out opponent's flesh.
Mike Adams... What can I say? Another one I'm not sold on.He's shown not a lot in the first two years here, he should be canned if he can't even look like a back-up.
