1. Martavis Bryant looks ready and good
Photo creds to USA Today |
2. The defense looked worked
Photo creds to The Falcoholic |
The NFL knows the Steelers aren't built how they are historically known and haven't been since their last Super Bowl appearance nearly seven years ago. The offense might be the best in the league, while the defense, which for so long was the heartbeat of this franchise,is middle of the pack, at best. I know you're saying, "Well, they only gave up 13 points and shutout the Falcons in the second half!" Which I understand. I know this is a 'bend, don't break' type of defense, but the starting unit was out for the majority of the first quarter, and some players were out there even longer. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan waltzed his offense down the field on the opening drive, but after that, backup Matt Simms went to work and ended his day with nearly 200 yards on 15 completions. Corners Ross Cockrell and Artie Burns were getting beat, and at some point, the Steelers might realize they let middle linebacker Lawrence Timmons go too quickly. Time will tell, but the defense didn't look too hot on Sunday afternoon.
3. TJ Watt looked human
Photo creds to FanRag Sports |
The numbers look OK given the small sample size from Sunday's scrimmage, but it could have helped rookie linebacker TJ Watt in the long run because, after an impressive debut in the preseason opener, he looked human. After his two-sack performance against the Giants, fans had expectations through the roof for the 1st-rounder. Four total tackles (two solo) and one tackle-for-loss while sometimes looking a little lost in pass coverage and other times being handled by a fellow first rounder, Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews. Steeler fans shouldn't be too worried about this, however, because this is just part of the NFL learning curve. Watt will learn from this and be just fine.
4. James Conner isn't Lev Bell, but he can carry his own
Photo creds to Cardiac Hill |
He was familiar with Heinz Field when he ran on it Sunday, and quite frankly, rookie running back James Conner looked pretty solid. Always take it with a grain of salt due to the level of competition in the preseason, but 98 yards on 21 carries is a good day's work for the former Pitt Panther. Conner showed a handful of examples of his explosiveness when he broke free for a few yards. Le'Veon Bell is a different kind of runner and is arguably the best one in the National Football League, but due to his recent absence, the Steelers got to test Conner in game action for the first time - and I think he passed.
5. Who will lose out in the wide receiver battle?
Photo creds to EndZoneScore |
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