Reactions to the Steelers preseason game against the Buccaneers

Joe breaks down the many positives from the Pittsburgh Steelers victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first week of preseason action.

Of course, Kenny Pickett to George Pickens lived up to the hype, but what other observations could be made from the small sample of starters and roster hopefuls who played?

Joe covers his various winners and a couple of players who need a bounce back performance in next week's game.

Questions or Comments?

Call the Steel City Underground Fan Line and have your question played on our podcast! The best questions will be answered in a future episode.

- Dial (203) 900-4SCU (4728) from any number, and leave your name, location, and a question on our automated attendant.
- Text (203) 900-4SCU with your question OR
- Email [e-mail]

Subscribe to our podcasts:

Apple Podcasts/iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/steel-city-underground/id1086142389
Google Podcasts/Google Play Music - https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/I477fe5rmf4c36rnymjsqe7hvqi
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/Steelcityunderground
Stitcher - http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/steel-city-underground
TuneIn - http://tunein.com/radio/Steel-City-Underground-p836074/
Spreaker - https://www.spreaker.com/show/2600913
iHeartRadio - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/steel-city-underground-podcast-28337685/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Yacx1utIsGBZHZdOFpZ2y
Deezer - https://www.deezer.com/show/1439702
Amazon Music - https://www.amazon.com/Pittsburgh-Steelers-Podcast-Steel-Underground/dp/B08K57Y4X6
Pandora - https://www.pandora.com/podcast/pittsburgh-steelers-podcast-steel-city-underground/PC:43358?part=PC:43358&corr=podcast_organic_external_site&TID=Brand:POC:PC43358:podcast_organic_external_site

Connect:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/steelcityunderground
Twitter - https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/c/Steelcityunderground
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/steelcityunderground/
Web - https://www.steelcityunderground.com/

Shop and Support SCU:

Amazon Prime Store - https://amzn.to/30owltC
TeePublic Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/steel-city-underground?ref_id=24847
PayPal Donation - https://bit.ly/3FfGJmn

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pittsburgh-steelers-podcast-steel-city-underground--2600913/support.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome to the Underground, The steelCity Underground, the black and gold standard
for Pittsburgh Steelers coverage. Now here'syour hose. Joe Kuzma. Hello everyone,
and welcome to another edition of thesteel City Underground podcast. My name
is Joe Kuzma, and I'm recordingremotely because currently I'm enjoying the end of

(00:27):
summer, so I'm out out oftown watching the Steelers game on TV like
the restigens, and getting to seesome preseason action, you know, where
the wins and losses and the scoresand everything else doesn't matter. But man,
the Steelers look pretty sharp. Theteam looks rather deep in the first
offensive series. We talked about this. We didn't want Kenny to Pickett to

(00:47):
play too long in this game,and there were certain players we felt that
needed to have a certain performance,a certain level performance in order to maybe
attain roster spots. So there weresome of the defensive players who started weren't
necessarily your normal starter. So not J. Watt, you didn't have

(01:08):
Minca Fitzpatrick, you didn't have CamHayward. A lot of those guys weren't
out there, Larry Ogan Joebi,for example. So you ended up with
Kenny Robinson playing safety. We talkedabout Luke bark who at corner, and
it was really good to see someof those players get some action in this
game, especially early on. Someother you know, talking about varsity and

(01:33):
junior varsity performances and who's playing againstwho, and but let me tell you
that first drive, and I understandit's not the full compliment of everything,
but the Pittsburgh Steelers offense was prettyclose to on the money as far as
full compliment. To start this game, you had Kenny Pickett out there,
with Deonte Johnson, George Pickens,Alan Robinson, Darnell Washington was out there

(01:59):
a little bit with the starting offensiveline, Nagy Harris, not a whole
lot out of Nagy. Actually Nagynot even a carry, right, And
then you had Jalen Warren three carriesthirteen yards. It's still a four point
three average. It doesn't seem likea whole lot. But there were some
really positive things. Of course,Anthony McFarland junior making a case to be

(02:21):
on the roster as well, runningin for a fourteen yard touchdown. A
lot of good things, but everyone'sgoing to remember that Kenny Pickett finds George
Pickens for thirty three yards for atouchdown on that first drive, and you
had Pickett finished his evening early sixto seven, completed eighty five point seven
percent of his passes. Makes alot of sense. There was only the

(02:43):
one errant pass that he had didn'tget sacked. He had to touchdown pass
one hundred and forty seven point ninequarterback rating on the evening looked a lot
sharper than Mitchell Trubisky. And letme tell you, Mason Rudolph not looking
too bad. I mean, therewere some spots he was running for his
life. He was getting hit alot of backup and third string offensive linemen.

(03:06):
We talked about performances too. KendrickGreen, if he's going to be
the backup center, can't make thatbad snap, and he had a few
of those two in his rookie season. Oh man, I'll tell you the
hype train to have him play atfullback and make the roster also as a
versatile backup center, offensive lineman,or guard. It's gonna be pretty tough.

(03:27):
I'm gonna be kind of interested inseeing maybe if the Steelers end up
looking to trade someone, let's sayKevin Dotson for example. But Kenny Pickett
very sharp on the day, LikeI said, Jalen Warren and you can
see in that picture also picking upvery good in past protection. There was
a really nice little run. Ithink it was Warren that broke out.

(03:52):
Darnell Washington kind of cut inside,and I wanted to say, was it
rogerck Jones. It might have beenBrodrick Jones, somebody. Oh, Alan
Robinson off the edge, wide receiverkind of playing in the slot, and
he got a lot of those earlyreps. Of course he should have as
kind of the wide receiver three theslot receiver, as that veteran player.
He didn't really see much else otherthan Robinson come out there for a few

(04:15):
blocks. But I was very impressedoverall with that first drive. Like I
said, I wanted to see somethingwhere they came out like you know,
five six years ago with Ben Roethlisbergerand everybody, Antonio Brown still on the
roster. They came out like ina preseason game against the Saints with all
the starters led Bell the whole nineyards and they just smashed him on the

(04:35):
opening drive and then went and satdown and got some water. And that's
all you needed to do. I'mstill a little concerned though about some other
areas offensively backups. Like I said, Mason's at this point where he's going
to come into a game cold prettymuch and with whoever, and he's gonna
do it I think an adequate job. He's going to be at least an

(04:58):
adequate quarterback. Three. Mitch shouldstill be able to give you the same
kind of variety, so to speak, because Mason doesn't have the legs or
the athletics, the same kind ofathleticism. I should say. They're all
athletes, they're in the NFL,they're pros, right, But Mitch Trubisky
is a mobile quarterback. Canny pick, it's a mobile quarterback. Mason Rudolph
will never be thought of as amobile quarterback despite carrying the ball a few

(05:21):
times. He had a nice fifteenyard long run for a first down too
much to his credit. Right.So, but Mitch Trubisky or pass attempts,
he's one of four through the pick, you get a zero rating.

(05:41):
I don't want to get into statschasing, but it really, it is
what it is. It was prettyit was pretty ugly, and it wasn't
like what we were looking at whenyou saw the connection that we've been talking
about all summer between Canty, Pickett, Pickens. Now, granted, Mitch
Trubisky isn't out there with the samefull complimented players, so I'll give him

(06:06):
a little bit of a pass onthat. But the one shot that he
took finally ended up not working inhis favor, So then I don't want
to say he's necessarily in jeopardy.You know, Mason finishes his day sub
sixty percent completed, one hundred thirtytwo yards, one hundred twenty four point
three quarterback rating. You had totouchdown pass deep the Kelvin Austin. What

(06:32):
was that? Sixty seven yards?And not everybody that's doubted Kelvin Austin.
Now you get to see the truth, right, You got to see it
right in front of your very eyes. That's a versity play against jav guys.
Kelvin Austen is a name that's goingto be on the rise throughout this
season. He's a guy. Heoffers something the Steelers don't have with their

(06:53):
other receivers Beyonte Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson. They don't have four
three speed, four three forty beadso Calvin Austin also coming off the edge.
He ran a couple of times.He had a seventeen yard long in
this game as well. But thefew catches that he did have, like
I said, that's sixty seven yardor he had a couple, he had

(07:13):
something that didn't go his way.One was in dirt. You have a
little bit of that. Wait untilyou get Kenny with this guy, you're
gonna be absolutely, absolutely amazed.As for some of the other skilled position
players, Cody White I didn't feelhad the best showing in this game.
The one pretty much like the kindof the same thing I was talking about.
He had the ball kind of almostripped from him. Not exactly the

(07:36):
same thing to happen with Pickett toCody White in training camp where Joey Porter
Junior, who did not participate inthis game as well, got picked off
right by Joey Porter Junior, AndI said, Joey Porter made a very
nice play trying to think of thebucks corner that was watching White and he

(07:56):
ended up picking picking off Mitch Trubiskyand something was still on Cody White.
And then later on he had likea one it was a drop Charlie Batch
is on the color with Bob Pompiani, the local guys, the local broadcast.
If you got to see the Steelersfeed, and Batch wasn't happy.
He says, these are the onesthat the quarterbacks say, you got to
catch those, and you have avery deep, very deep wide receiver group.

(08:24):
And I mean they're still training totrial if Gunerlschowski is gonna be around.
But this was very kind of tellingto me too, that they didn't
have Kelvin Austin and gneral Schowski areone and two on this depth chart.
We talked about this myself in flashas sorry of the pregame and who needed
to have big games type of deal. Jordan Byrd ends up out there as
the first guy, as the firstreturner, So I thought that was pretty

(08:46):
interesting and something to look out forbecause I do think that he could find
himself a spot on this team.You don't want to pay attention to the
depth charts and everything else like that. You got a kind of take it
with a grain assault as to who'sthe ones, who's the twos. They
were talking about that with Roderick Jonesand Dan Moore Junior and etcetera. Etcetera.

(09:07):
So offensively for the Steelers, Ithink you just have such a variety
in these games. I mean,there was a nice play by Connor,
a little play by Connor Hayward.Here you get a nice little play.
I mean Connor carried the ball.He caught a couple of passes twenty four
yard long pass, moving the stickstoo. So I really like that.
Darnell Washington more in a blocking role. I mean they found him. He

(09:31):
was playing deep into the third quarteras well, so that was kind of
interesting. He started to get intosome of the other players, like Greg
Bell running the ball, and there'sjust there's not a whole lot that's there,
you know what I mean. Andso and I mean, not everything
was super successful in the Steelers drives. The first drive they went with pass

(09:52):
pass pass. Kenny started real early. You saw the accuracy, you saw
the decisiveness. Then they went runrun, and it's like, okay,
this is the Matt Canada pattern.So but they ran the ball like at
first with Mitch Rubisky, and prettymuch that's how they had any any sort
of success with Mitch Drubisky in therewas just running the football. So I

(10:16):
was trying to pull up like someof the specific plays here, just to
kind of give you give it alittle bit of an idea. Oh,
the actual play by play, Letme see Mitch Drubisky. Yeah, that
was the pick, so he wouldhave came in just before this watching Baker
Mayfield too. I mean the Steelersdefense did okay, it was kind of
just the shell of itself. Bakerwas eight of nine and he had the

(10:39):
TV too, so it was highlyrated in this game. Kyle Trask not
so much so. I think ifthere's any sort of quarterback competition there for
the opposition in Tampa Bay, youkind of get an idea of where that
is heading. Maybe a little bitof redemption. Well, this is is
maybe last chance of redemption, aswe were talking about for Baker Mayfield,

(11:01):
a guy like you know, theSteelers should know pretty well. But it's
not like the guys that were inthe game would have known him very well.
So let me try. I'm stilltrained to find this here. Okay.
It was Anthony McFarland. Anthony McFarlanemiss Drubisky and complete on third and
six, and that was that firstdrive. It was like run, run,
Now he throws the ball and toBaker Mayfield touchdown miss Drubisky interception Mitch

(11:28):
Drubisky. So first is the leftend Kelvin Austin seventeen yards miss Trubisky and
complete Calvin Austin left end for sixyards. Miss Trubisky complete the colon or
Hayward Anthony McFarlane with the fourteen yardtouchdown run. McFarland's looked really good too.
If I'm going to say, CalvinAustin offers something to the wide receivers
group that the others don't have,so does Anthony McFarland a completely different type

(11:54):
of change of pace. I mean, he really looks like he's grown as
a player. It's gonna be tough. He was already a practice squad guy,
but he entering year three a lotof a lot of roster spots up
for grabs. We talk about BTPotter playing in place of Chris Boswell as
the kicker. Not too bad.I know, he had the jitters on
that first extra point and he dingsit off the post. But but the

(12:18):
rest of the game, I thoughthe looked pretty sharp. He's gonna put
some stuff on tape. Remember,Chris Boswell didn't have the strongest year last
year. He's now in his earlythirties, so you're gonna have to like
keep that in mind. I'm notgoing to say that it's an actual battle
between Potter, but this is likeone of the ACC's top kickers. You
had a lot of the backups bradyMan and guys like that, so punting

(12:43):
and well, brady Man's punning andthe first punt wasn't very good. But
Potter's putting some tape out there.He might be one of these guys you
get the call up in case ChrisBoswell ends up being dinged or injured or
ill, and those things have happened. Yeah, the Steelers, you know,
they weren't used to this when itwas Sean Sweze when I wasn't.
That guy was an ironman up untilthat Hall of Fame game in Canton took
away his career. So h They'regoing to jump over the defense real quick

(13:09):
because it's just in terms of likethe players and I'm trying to think if
there was really any like the realnegative for men was Mitch Drubisky. Kendrick
Green. I felt really bad forhim after everything that we've had to say
is nothing but positive. You havethe flub and that just kind of like,
I don't know, this is agame setting for a guy who started

(13:31):
in the NFL and a guy who's, you know, year three player,
veteran player, shouldn't be he shouldn'tbe committing these and the and the penalty
and the holding penalty too. Itwas just it's just pile on for Kendrick
Green day after all the positivity,and it's just like, man, here's
the shovel, dig your own hole, dude. So maybe he could climb

(13:54):
out of this, but that itwas not a good day in the office
for him. You jump over thethe Steelers defense and there are some positive
things to take a look at,and of course one of those was I
don't understand. I know there's apoint of infants emphasis that's out there with
officiating, but Kwan Alexander number one, I forgot to mention. I may

(14:16):
have mentioned the kiss of Death iswearing the same number as somebody else already
on the roster dual rostered numbers.He shares his with Anthony McFarlane junior,
Juan Alexander wearing twenty six, theold Rod Woodson number, which is the
goat. I don't like that beingreissued but you know, sometimes it is
what it is. There's only somany numbers you can give out. That's
an aside. Kwan made this reallygreat play. That whole touchdown drive with

(14:41):
Baker Mayfield shouldn't have even happened,but there you go. There's a penalty,
and I'm not really sure what theofficials saw there. It wasn't like
Kendrew Green where there were like fourflags that were thrown in the Quan looks
really good at Landon Roberts that startsthis game. They were they were kind
of shuffling the guys along with ColeHolcombe. I thought that were some good
coverage in the back two on someof this, you noticed Baker really had

(15:03):
to move around. He couldn't findany open wide receivers. So they're really
like behooves. Guys like James Pierre, who played a lot of snaps,
had a lot of tackles in thisgame. Kenny Robinson trying to find a
spot on this roster. Marcus Goldenlooked good too. I mean he didn't
play a whole lot in his veteranstatus, but he got in the backfield

(15:24):
as well. Nick quit Koski endedup having a sack at one point here.
Nick Herbig, of course sack machinein this game. I believe of
one and a half sacks. Laterin the game, like a lot of
this got messy. Quincy Rochet endsup getting the sack as well. But
Nick Herbig looked really good. Thisis what we had saw in camp and

(15:46):
he had like the one a halfsack with the Marvin Leo Keano Benton a
dude. Now one drive like hewas a run stuffer tackle for loss and
then the one was it a sackor was it just another tackle for lost?
But he was in the backfield tryingto remember the exact play that Pompiani

(16:07):
actually gave credit to Isaiah louder Milk. And you'll remember if you watched the
Steelers feed, they were saying this, but this was all the penetration from
Betton. He pushed the guard thatwas up on him hat on hat at
least five yards deep off the initialpush. Absolutely loving Keano Betton. I
can't get enough of him, oras they're saying, he kept calling him
Mount Washington at least introduced Darniel Washingtonand say his nicknames Mount Washington or Washington,

(16:32):
as I think Craig Wolfley was sayingon Steelers dot Com on one of
the podcasts or his Steelers Nation RadioWashington, gotta put the yinzer slang on
it. I love it. ButKeano Betton absolutely like incredible. Man,
It's a really incredible showing again whereyou have the varsity kind of plays against
junior varsities, and I think louderMilk ends up getting in there. Maybe

(16:56):
statistically I'm trying to look. No, you didn't get any kind of half
sack or anything like that. Nordid nor did Benton. But they ended
up stopping. They ended up stoppingthat drive just as they needed to do.
And that's something that we haven't seena lot of, is like tackles
for loss and stuffing the run.And then there was the other play I
think the one I'm getting too conflatedhere, but there was definitely one where

(17:18):
Keano Benton gets in there. Andthen the fourth down play where Tampa Bay
goes to go for it on fourthand one. This was in the second
quarter. I believe still a BakerMayfield out there. They were on Keishawn
Vaughan a couple of times. Hegets stopped by Benton and louder Milk.
Then he had a no gain withthe Marvin Lee out and Kenny Robinson up

(17:40):
in there and then Benton. Thiswas the play where Benton ends up coming
in and stuffing and pushing that guardback five yards into the backfield and Keishaw
Vaughn just gets tackled for a lossminus three. It was Isaiah louder Milk
credited officially, but man not toMarvin Leel Martin Leett on the previous play.

(18:02):
But Keano Benton just absolutely a dudemakes a phenomenal, phenomenal play there.
So I'm very impressed with the waythat the defense came together. I
thought I thought that team overall lookedpretty sharp, and for just a preseason

(18:22):
game and they're playing in a littlebit warmer climate down in Tampa, I
was overall very much impressed. Iliked seeing Kelvin Austin. He's one of
my winners from this game. Ofcourse, you can give it to Kenny
and George Pickens, but my absolutewinners from this game Kelvin Austen, Keano
Benton, as I think he's gonnawin this starting nose tackle job. I'd

(18:45):
liked seeing Allen Robinson and Darnell Washingtonout there making a few making a few
of these blocks, and I believethat's just I thought it was pretty good.
Not a lot I could say,like when it comes to guys like
Tanner Morgan. Tanner Morgan barely hadany prep or any kind of like real
reps in camp, So when hewas out there was this you know,

(19:10):
end a third quarter, beginning offourth quarter. Not a whole lot to
talk about there. Unfortunately with Tanner, there just there wasn't a whole lot.
There's not a whole lot to say, just because his film I don't
think is going to win him ajob. This isn't Duck Hodges all over
again, a duck. At leastBen gave some veteran days. Duck got

(19:30):
some snaps, was able to showthat he had that he could hang,
that he could play in the league. Josh Dobbs similar in some aspects.
You know, he was the backupand got the start, and he had
a real command of everything. Andeven Mason in the preseason for that matter.
These weren't like really bad performances likeyou had in the past, like
Landry Jones rookie year or who elsecan I think of in the preseason like

(19:53):
Dustin Vaughn or somebody like that.So it was overall impressed with coaching staff,
their ability to get this team upto snuff, and we'll see what
ends up happening next. Pittsburgh Steelersplay at home against the Buffalo Bills here
in a little more about a week, so they're gonna have another They're gonna

(20:18):
have a Saturday game at Acquisher Stadiumand we'll see you if it's more of
a dress rehearsal. Only three preseasongames now to go, and then after
that that's it, folks. Sothat'll do it for me. My name
is Joe Kuzma. Thank you forjoining me outside of the SU studios for
a little bit of postgame talk withthe Pittsburgh Steelers in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(20:41):
first preseason game. Now in thebooks. Don't forget to like, comment,
subscribe. Thank you wherever you're watchingor listening from. We'll be back
with you later this week with somemore thoughts about what's going on in training
camp, a little bit of likea preview for the next game, and
maybe some predictions on who who's onthe bubble to make this roster for sure

(21:04):
based on what we saw here,perhaps leading into the next game a lot
of big decisions. Steelers are deepin a lot of positions too, so
stay tuned for that until next time. My name is Joe. I encourage
everyone out there to be safe,be good, and we'll catch you later.
We would liked it. Thank youfor listening, and remind our listeners

(21:25):
to follow us on social media andour website www dot steel City Underground dot com.