Backups created fireworks in preseason opener
From the notebook of a sportswriter who enjoyed the fireworks created by a Steelers offense missing Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, but who’s going to lead here by commending the backup nobodies up front:
n I was determined to watch rookie offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor first and foremost, and I’m glad I did. Okorafor played three quarters of fairly anonymous ball on both sides, and as promised by veteran teammates looks like a swing tackle in the making.
n Okorafor is a better pass-blocker than run-blocker, and that’s more than OK at this point. The only player to give him visible problems was deep backup Steven Means in the third quarter. Okorafor held him twice — and got away with both — but on one allowed his quarterback to be hit and pressured into an incompletion.
n Maybe Chuks was tired at that point. Maybe he needs to get into better shape. Maybe he needs a lesson in finishing what he started. But he did finish 321-pound Elijah Qualls pretty well by driving him into the ground. Overall, a strong debut for a guy who’ll need to be ready for a critical role this season.
n Jake Rodgers, the other reserve tackle, also made a good accounting of the tackle depth, which is important after losing a backup tackle in free agency and another to a spring injury.
n The Steelers do have quality backup cornerbacks, as veteran Coty Sensabaugh showed with an early interception. I believe that’s where their trade strength lies in case Rodgers can’t cut it as a fourth tackle. But so far, so good.
n I’m lingering on the offensive line because I keep hearing about the depth problem there after guard Ramon Foster went down with a 6-week injury early in camp. Not only is B.J. Finney a quality starter, so is Matt Feiler, who picked up from where he left off in the 2017 regular-season finale.
n Now, on to the fireworks, which were produced by each of the three backup quarterbacks. Landry Jones completed all four of his passes, including a 71-yard strike to JuJu Smith-Schuster for the game’s first touchdown. Jones was the cagey veteran who looked deep after the defensive lineman jumped offside and provided a free play for the offense.
n Jones was sacked twice, but through no fault of his own. David DeCastro just got whipped by Fletcher Cox, as will happen against the Eagles. And on the second sack Jones received no help at all from running back James Conner.
n This will be something about which Conner obsesses next week at practice, no doubt, since he went 0-for-a big 1 last season, and in training camp had significantly picked up that aspect of his game.
n Joshua Dobbs hasn’t looked better. In fact, ever since he threw two pick-sixes at the end of the red-zone practice last week, Dobbs has taken it up a notch. His 29-yard laser to Damoun Patterson gave the Steelers the lead for good late in the first half. The pocket provided by the second-team line was pristine, or as perfect as the back flip by Patterson after his first pro touchdown.
n Patterson, the undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State, made up for Dobbs’ interception on the previous series, an out that the undrafted Patterson made little effort to break up.
n Rookie Mason Rudolph also looked good in his debut. He completed seven of 12 for 101 yards. He fumbled twice, once on a sack, once on a center exchange, but the Steelers recovered both.
n Marcus Tucker caught a couple of early passes and also blocked well and showed up big time on special teams. He’ll challenge Darrius Heyward-Bey for a roster spot, and my guess is Patterson will make a run at it before settling in on the practice squad.
n The defensive star for the Steelers was — Big Dan?
n Daniel McCullers is apparently determined to make a last stand for a roster spot. He and Lavon Hooks received extended time on the defensive line, and McCullers responded with penetration in the run game and a hustle pressure all the way to the sideline that not only forced an incompletion but lit up the Steelers’ bench as several players ran to congratulate the quiet 352-pound nose tackle.
n On the next defensive snap, to start the next series, Big “Not Tired” Dan ran 30 yards downfield in pursuit of a breakaway back.
n Perhaps McCullers is responding to his new line coach. I know the former line coach had much to do with McCullers playing only 15 snaps last season. Dan also was involved in a ferocious fight with Collins about a week ago. Maybe the match has been lit.
n My take on the Steelers’ poor tackling last season was that it would be improved by bringing in better tacklers, and they brought in Jon Bostic and Morgan Burnett. Well, they both missed a tackle on Jay Ajayi’s 22-yard run on the second Eagles carry of the game. So much for that theory.
n Bostic and Burnett did combine on a tackle-for-loss a few plays later. They responded to their mistake appropriately.
n Bostic showed signs of being able to do the job this season. The staff apparently thinks so. They played him extensively. Bostic only made four tackles, and missed a big one, but appears to be the most athletic inside linebacker they have outside of undrafted rookie Matthew Thomas.
n I don’t know about you, but I can’t keep my eyes off Thomas when he’s playing, practicing, covering kicks, whatever. He’s a legitimate find who may not make it back to the practice squad if the Steelers waive him on cutdown day.
n If the Steelers had hoped to keep Thomas under wraps, they made a mistake in having him rush the quarterback off the edge for most of the final series. He looks like a natural out there, and even had a sack he couldn’t quite finish as the falling quarterback managed to get the pass away.
n Ola Adeniyi is another I’ve become addicted to watching this summer. I wrote earlier that he would give you a James Harrison flashback with his size, position and number. He did it with his play as well Thursday. Adeniyi stuffed the run up the middle, held the point on a stretch play and strip-sacked the quarterback on a pass rush. He also gets back fluidly into coverage.
n I do believe that because of his lack of size, Ola would make it back to the practice squad, but I’d hate to see the Steelers end their relationship with Farrington Huguenin. The 6-4, 268-pounder who spent a quiet 2017 on the practice squad hardly looks like a 268-pounder when he drops into coverage.
n Good competition at reserve OLB, and I liked what I saw from Keion Adams, too. He moves better laterally than he does straightahead, and provides more size against the run on the strong side.
n The Steelers allowed 4.4 yards per rush last night, and that’s nothing to celebrate. It’s what they allowed per carry last season, their worst number since 1953. But I’m not going to fret about a first-team defense that was playing without four key starters.
n I’m not ignoring first-round pick Terrell Edmunds. He did his job without a glaring mistake and was a force in the run game once he reached the field. He’ll be a factor as a dime safety and special-teamer until he’s needed on the first team.
n Brian Allen came off an inconsistent practice week with a quiet performance as the right cornerback during a long stint that lasted from late in the first to late in the third.
n Cameron Sutton has also been up and down on the practice field this summer, but made an excellent showing in Philadelphia. He had the Steelers’ second interception.
n Javon Hargrave sniffing out a screen pass for a loss was no surprise. The nose tackle has always displayed exceptional instincts.
n Jarvion Franklin and DaShaun Phillips made big plays on special teams, but return man Quadree Henderson disappointed with his 17-yard return of the opening kickoff out of the end zone, along with two others he opted not to return. This is your time, kid. Show us what you got.