UNITY TWP., Pa. — The Pittsburgh Steelers came out of their preseason opener licking their wounds, losing rookie left tackle Troy Fautanu and playing sloppily in a 20-12 loss to the Houston Texans. The Steelers got good news about Fautanu’s injury, expecting him to miss minimal time, and then set to fix the problems that cropped up on Friday night during Sunday’s 14th practice of training camp.
Things started on the offense. Without Fautanu, Dan Moore Jr. anchored the left side and Broderick Jones stayed put on the right. Those will probably be their homes for the time being.
At center, Nate Herbig gave way midway through first-team reps to get rookie second-round pick Zach Frazier his first work with the starters. Herbig and Justin Fields fumbled a pair of quarterback-center exchanges on Friday, but Tomlin said it was more about giving Frazier a chance to show progress after his first in-game work.
It was more of the same at cornerback, where Donte Jackson was held out to give Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush more reps.
Wide receiver Quez Watkins might’ve had the worst day of any Steelers player on Friday, mis-judging his first two punts and muffing the third. Watkins turned around and had his best day of training camp on Sunday, catching a 50-yard bomb from Fields and making several other big plays. Tomlin took note.
“He needed a day like today,” Tomlin said.
SEVEN SHOTS
1) Justin Fields in the pistol for this one. Fields fires for Van Jefferson on a corner route to the left side, high and long. Trice was in coverage, working with the first team with Jackson off. Grayland Arnold got the start at slot cornerback.
2) The offense goes two tight ends, and the defense counters with Damontae Kazee and their heavy Nickel package. Fields out of the shotgun this time, tries a corner to the right, where Jefferson and George Pickens were in a bunch. Both Trice and Porter went to Pickens, and he was plastered with coverage and had no chance at the ball.
3) Russell Wilson comes in and throws to Jaylen Warren in the left flat. Warren lost his balance as he was catching the ball, and fell. Patrick Queen tagged him down at the 1-yard line.
4) T.J. Watt came free and would have sacked Wilson, before he threw it out of the back of the end zone. Dez Fitzpatrick was the closest man to it. Arnold had solid coverage.
5) Fields comes back and throws to Jonathan Ward in the right flat. He was moving with a head of steam, but Darius Rush did get to him before the goal line. It’s questionable who would’ve won that full-speed collision if they’d been in pads, but I’ll give the win to Rush.
6) Fields tried a deep out to the left side, but Tarik Black couldn’t make a very tough play on the sideline. Beanie Bishop was in coverage.
7) Fields rifled a quick out to Scotty Miller, who made a great play to finally get the offense into the end zone.
A 6-1 drubbing by a defense that has been way better without pads than with this Steelers training camp.
NOTES FROM STEELERS TEAM PERIODS
? On a couple occasions, when Frazier came in to center the first team, Herbig shifted over and took some reps at right guard.
? With the team down a tackle, Spencer Anderson got his most extensive playing time on the outside this season. He’s been almost exclusively working at guard.
? Cordarrelle Patterson and Dean Lowry only did individual drills as they worked back. DeMarvin Leal also seemed to get most of the day off. He’s been getting a ton of reps.
? Jacob Slade broke up a Fields pass at the line and Jacoby Windmon made a diving interception — a big play for some guys down the depth chart and getting desperate to make an impact.
? Watkins took an end around for a huge play in team run. Easily could have been a 60-yard touchdown, though downfield angle are hard to evaluate in a touch period.
? Aaron Shampklin took a screen about 30 yards down the right sideline, mostly thanks to a thundering wall of Joey Fisher pounding down the field to make a line. That got an attaboy from Tomlin.
? After Calvin Austin III, expect Scotty Miller and Watkins to get some looks returning punts. Ward, John Rhys Plumlee, Watkins and La’Mical Perine will return kicks.
? Exposed to the most coverage reps he’s probably gotten all Steelers training camp, Rush had an up and down day. He made a nice read in seven shots, and had an interception for a touchdown in 7-on-7, but was also on the wrong end of several big plays.
? Fields and Wilson swapped back and forth, splitting the first and second-team reps, but without any clear pecking order. Kyle Allen got minimal work.
A NEW SLASH?
With the quarterback position spoken for, John Rhys Plumlee added wide receiver to his positional repertoire. He caught a couple passes, including a high ball that he had to elevate to catch. He’s an athlete the Steelers seem to be trying hard to find a way to use. Plumlee also worked as the starting kickoff returner on Friday.
2-MINUTE DRILL
Fields marched the first-team offense right down the pitch, with completions to Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Watkins, Pickens and then Watkins up the seam for a score.
Allen’s run with the second squad was similarly uninhibited. He hit Duece Watts for a 30-yarder to the 1-yard line and then scrambled in himself for the go-ahead score with plenty of time on the clock.
SUMMARY
The Steelers got the bad taste of Friday’s defeat out of their mouths. A more physical, padded practice awaits on Monday.
RELATED: Steelers Practice Report: Frazier Moves Up, Watkins Bounces Back
