The Pittsburgh Steelers put in another dominant half of preseason play in all three phases of the game. Special teams, offense and defense all picked up where they left off last week.
Kenny Pickett and the offense are now 5-for-5 in the preseason with touchdowns and the offense looks dangerous. Even Mitch Trubisky and some of the backups were able to put together a long 14 play drive capped off by Anthony McFarland Jr. scoring on the ground.
The played most of their starters and they looked every bit as dominant as you would hope playing against the other teams’ backups.
The Atlanta Falcons receive the ball at the top of the half.
START OF 2ND HALF.
BT Potter in for Chris Boswell as the kicker, and it was returned to the 19. Rod Williams with the special teams tackle.
On 1st and 10, Woodside complete for 8 yards. Kenny Robinson made the tackle. On 2nd and 2, Igwebuike good for 4 yards off the left end.
On 1st and 10, Woodside was sacked by Nick Herbig. The rookie flashes his pass rush moves again. He had a quick getoff and countered inside to win.
Former Steelers WR, Mathew Sexton, gained 24 yards on two receptions this drive.
Elijah Riley in on the stop on 2nd and 9. 3rd and 8, on the 10th play of the drive for the Falcons, Trenton Thompson called for unnecessary roughness. Kind of a bizarre penalty.
1st and 10 inside the red zone for the Falcons now. Woodside incomplete on 1st. On 2nd and 10, Mark Robinson with a clean hit, helmet to football, to knock the ball loose. Kenny Robinson recovered. The Steelers take over from their own 8 yard line.
Xazavien Valladay is in as the running back now. On 1st and 10, he picked up 7 yards. On 2nd, he went around the right end, but was stopped for just one. 3rd and 2, Mason Rudolph scrambled for 2 yards. It was very close, but I think he managed to convert the first down.
On 1st, Valladay went around the left end for 5 yards. He went the other way the next play for a gain of 7. This offense is still working as the third and fourth teams get some burn.
The drive stalled out after an incomplete pass on 3rd down. Braden Mann’s punt traveled 58 yards to the Atlanta 6 yard line. Mann just earned himself a job somewhere around the NFL this season following the cutdowns next week.
Woodside still in at quarterback for the Falcons. He scrambled on 1st down and connected with Harris for 19 yards. Robinson and Thompson in on the tackle.
A false start penalty makes it 1st and 15, incomplete. No call for intentional grounding, but it was that type of throwaway. On 2nd and 15, Woodside complete to Harris again for 3 yards. On 3rd and 12, a short completion to Hesse for 4 yards. The punt unit should be coming out on the field this deep in their own territory. Armon Watts nearly sacked him on that 3rd down play. Nick Herbig appeared to have garnered a double team on that rep as well.
The punt was fair caught by Gunner Olszewski at the 22 yard line. A quick three and out for the Steelers offense with Darius Hagans getting the carries at running back.
END OF 3RD QUARTER
Mike Tomlin went for it during the commercial break and converted on 4th down. Another quick three-and-out followed, but it was bailed out by a facemask penalty on the Falcons. 1st and 10 from near the midfield mark. Mason Rudolph and the offense didn’t use the face mask penalty to their advantage. Braden Mann’s punt was fair caught at the 9 yard line. Another great punt by Mann.
Mark Robinson still getting a lot of work deep into the fourth quarter. Probably good for him as he may be burried in the depth chart in-season with Roberts, Holcomb, and Alexander ahead of him.
After a handful of positive plays for the Falcons, a false start on 4th and short killed the drive. The punt was fileded by Cruickshank who was pushed out of bounds at the 16 for no gain.
Will Tanner Morgan get a drive or two?
He did not as Mason Rudolph checked back into the game. A quick three-and-out. The only painful part of the preseason has been the 3rd and 4th team offense failing to do much of anything.
Braden Mann’s punt took a Steelers bounce and went for 61 yards. The Falcons take over at their own 19. Mann definitely earned himself a job.
Woodside checked down to Carlos Washington for a gain of 6. On 2nd, Washington rushed off the right end for just one yard stopped by Tanner Muse. On 3rd and 3, Quincy Roche stopped the runner just short of the line to gain. The Falcons will probably go for it here.
Toby Ndukwe tackled the 4th down run for a loss. Turnover on downs.
BT Potter’s field goal attempt was no good from 43 yards out. This game seems destined to end at 24-0.
Quincy Roche got a sack fumble and appears to have injured Logan Woodside late in the preseason game. Ndukwe recovered.
On 1st and 10, Greg Bell off left tackle for 1 yard. On 2nd, Hagans off left end for 3 yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING
Tanner Morgan will get a chance to put the ball in the end zone from the 18 yard line in the waning minutes of the game. On 3rd and 6, Bell was tackled behind the line of scrimmage on the reception. On 4th and 11, Morgan got one shot into the end zone but Cruickshank couldn’t get his feet in bounds.
The Falcons take over on downs. Logan Woodside back in the game – a good sign for his elbow. The Falcons calling timeouts trying to get one last two minute drill in to try and get on the scoreboard. Toby Ndukwe iced the game with a 7 yard sack.
END OF GAME 24-0 STEELERS
