Pittsburgh Steelers Preseason Week Two Instant Reaction
The Steelers won their preseason week two matchup against the Atlanta Falcons 17-13. The scores do not matter in the preseason, but the plays and the roster status and job battles inside the game do. How performed well at each position?
Quarterback
Joshua Dobbs looked shaky again in week two. He wasn’t standing strong in the pocket and was not able to accurately deliver the ball downfield. He is going to have to show improvement in week three.
Running back
James Conner and Fitzgerald Toussaint split all of the snaps. That cannot be a great sign for Knile Davis. Conner looked nervous early on, missing a lane or two along with multiple drops in the passing game. However, he finished with close to five yards per carry on 20 carries which is a respectable entrance into the NFL. Trey Williams returned a punt for a touchdown in a play that wound up changing the game.
Wide Receiver
It was a game that featured the first reception for Martavis Bryant, Justin Hunter, and Sammie Coates. Bryant had a great adjustment down the sideline for a 20-yard reception. His quarterback play did not help, but they were 3-7 when targeting Hunter.
Tight End
Jake McGee may be making strides closer to Phazahn Odom for a special teams spot. David Johnson had a nice catch over the middle from Joshua Dobbs.
Offensive Line
B.J. Finney played almost the entirety of the game at center, getting valuable snaps that he needs. Jerald Hawkins improved vastly from his first game, but it was mainly in the running game. How he improves as a pass blocker in the next two games will be worth noting.
Defensive Line
Javon Hargrave left the game with a concussion. Leterrius Walton played most of the game at nose tackle in place of Hargrave, solidifying his status as the backup nose tackle.
Edge Rushers
T.J. Watt had another strong performance showing an ability in coverage and against the run. Anthony Chickillo added two sacks as well.
Inside Linebacker
L.J. Fort solidified himself over Steven Johnson, who missed most of the game with a hamstring issue. Fort was everywhere, putting up five tackles on defense. Matt Galambos stood out again with a tackle on defense, and some time on special teams.
Cornerback
Mike Hilton came off of the edge again and almost forced an intentional grounding had Johnny Maxey not tipped the pass. Hilton has solidified his status on the roster. Coty Sensabaugh has to be close to a lock, but he has not shown much so far in the first two games.
Safety
Jordan Dangerfield was the player of the game. He put up two interceptions and made five tackles on defense, He added consistency on special teams, and showed a feisty side, putting some strong hits on his opponent.
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