Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was very blunt about his wishes for more of a varsity performance in the team’s second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, but instead, it looked like Pittsburgh took a noticeable step backwards on Saturday, losing 9-3 and not looking any better than that ugly scoreline.
Our first live look of Russell Wilson leading the first-team offense was extremely uneventful, ending without any points on the scoreboard. Justin Fields took over shortly after but the offense as a whole looked only marginally better.
On the bright side, the defense was stout in the first half before tailing off after the intermission. It’s important to remember not to overreact to preseason outcomes but there are some concerns that are starting to creep up to the point where they can no longer be brushed aside as noise. Let’s talk about some dudes and duds from their loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Dude: LB Nick Herbig
With Alex Highsmith on the shelf via injury, Nick Herbig stepped right up to the plate and made an impact from the jump. He notched a sack on a stunt with his Wisconsin buddy Keeanu Benton working as the crasher while the edge rusher looped up the middle for the takedown. This can be partially accredited to scheme but his closing speed and burst off the ball just leaps off the tape. Later in the first quarter, we was made a nice hustle play in the backfield. There aren’t many, if any at all, NFL teams have a better edge rushing trio than the one that is playing in Pittsburgh right now. If they can win on early downs and force teams into difficult third and long situations, there’s endless possibilities for what Teryl Austin can draw up. The arrow is pointing straight up for Herbig after another strong summer.
Dud: OT Broderick Jones
In an effort to avoid being hyperbolic, you hardly ever see starting offensive lineman struggle as much as Broderick Jones did in the first half of the game tonight. Buffalo edge rusher Greg Rousseau did whatever he wanted, whether that was winning with speed, power or on the inside track. It’s an understatement to say that the reps were non-competitive but it got to the point where it was affecting the ability to really evaluate the rest of the offense. We know that he’s less than 100% right now, with a brace that is limiting his mobility in his arm but from a technical perspective, there doesn’t seem much improvement in pass protection, which is concerning considering how his rookie year ultimately unfolded in that regard. It’s not time to hit the panic button just yet. But after back to back poor performances, it’s fair to be a tad concerned about what Jones will look like once the regular season kicks off.
Dude: IDL Larry Ogunjobi
Hello, Larry Ogunjobi! It’s nice to see you, big fella. Number 99 came to play tonight against Buffalo, as he was consistently in the backfield throughout his snaps on defense. His won with a rip move but missed a tackle on what should have been a sack that was later cleaned up by the aforementioned Herbig. He also had a really nice run stop where he corralled the tail back near the line of scrimmage on a run up the middle. This front seven has a ton of potential but if the Steelers can get this version of Ogunjobi more often than not, we’re talking about a dangerous group capable of wrecking shop versus pretty much anyone. His first two seasons in Pittsburgh have matched his reputation throughout his career: marred with inconsistency but if he’s healthy, he’s a solid player. He looked quick off the ball tonight and it’ll be interesting to see if that continues moving forward.
Dud: OC Arthur Smith
Listen, I hate to be that guy that complains about the offensive coordinator during the preseason for crying out loud but after showering him with praise last week despite not lighting up the scoreboard, this feels fair. For starters, they have yet to score a point in the first half of either of their preseason games, contests in which their key contributors have participated a decent amount in. Last week, some silly, avoidable mistakes precluded them from getting a rhythm but they at least moved the football. Tonight, that was not the case. It looked eerily similar to the slow starts that have plagued the Steelers offenses in recent years. Add in some questionable play calls: notably a couple 2nd and long run plays and a failed zone read design on fourth down that everyone in the entire stadium, including the Bills defense, saw coming and you have a disappointing outcome.
Dude: LB Mark Robinson
Known for his run stopping prowess and thumping play style, it’s not overly shocking that a guy like Mark Robinson would lead the team in tackles in a preseason game that featured a lot of run plays. However, his coverage on a play where Mitch Trubisky was intercepted was what really surprised me. He maintained his inside leverage, undercut the route and forced a high throw. He also had a nice stick in the backfield with him quickly disengaging an oncoming blocker that had reached the second level. Robinson made at least one special teams spot as well. He has some athletic limitations for sure and it’ll be an uphill battle for him to make the roster but he made an impact tonight. Let’s see how he finishes the preseason.
Dud: 3rd Quarter Run Defense
Buffalo opened the second half with a pair of offensive drives that spanned a total of 24 plays, the majority of those of the rushing variety. The second string defensive line consisting of Dean Lowry, Isaiahh Loudermilk and Montravius Adams seemed to get beat up quite a bit at the point of attack. Mike Tomlin also alluded to some of the crack/replace issues that they had on the perimeter, with Kyle McMichael missing a tackle and then picking up a flag on a horse-collar attempt. Perhaps fatigue could be a factor here but after the Bills had their way in the trenches in the playoffs, it didn’t feel great seeing Ray Davis run amok in the third quarter.
Dude: P Cameron Johnston
It’s usually not a great sign when the punter ends up as one of the more exciting players in a game but Cameron Johnston looked fantastic tonight, booming punts all over the yard. Across his five kicks, he averaged 56.8 yards per boot. At times, it felt like he was out-kicking his coverage but the tape may reveal that there are potential issues there as well considering all of the new pieces rotating in those spots. Regardless, Pittsburgh has been dying for some consistency at this position for years and it seems like they may have what they need.