Two games, two stellar offensive showings by the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top offensive unit.
Three drives, three touchdowns. Explosive plays galore, too.
So much for preseason not mattering, right?
Wrong. What the Steelers are showing right now through the first two preseason games of the year matters, especially with the level of comfort and confidence second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett is displaying, and the overall explosiveness the Steelers are bringing to the table currently.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook certainly sees it after the Steelers’ 27-15 win over Buffalo Saturday night in which backup running back Jaylen Warren ripped off a 62-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game and Pickett hit tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 25-yard touchdown after Calvin Austin III’s 54-yard punt return.
“After two years of complaining about a lack of downfield shots and explosive plays under offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Pittsburgh is clicking through two preseason games,” Shook writes for NFL.com regarding a big takeaway from the Steelers’ win. ” The Steelers’ improved offensive line sprung running back Jaylen Warren — who is proving to be a quality complement to Najee Harris — for a 62-yard touchdown run thanks to excellent zone blocking that extended to receiver Diontae Johnson. Then, after an electric 54-yard punt return from Calvin Austin III, Kenny Pickett immediately dropped a dime into the arms of tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 25-yard touchdown. In less than five minutes, the Steelers put 14 points on the board. Talk about explosive.
“If the Steelers play future contests with the same purpose they did on Saturday, watch out.”
It is just the preseason, but this feels … different for the Steelers under third-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
The middle of the field is being utilized more, the ball is being pushed down the field in the process, and the explosive plays are there.
In the preseason opener, Pickett hit second-year receiver George Pickens over the middle for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Then, on Saturday night in front of the home crowd at Acrisure Stadium there was Warren’s burst nearly untouched down the left sideline for the game’s opening score, and then Pickett threading a back-shoulder needle up the seam to Freiermuth for a beauty of a touchdown.
Those types of plays weren’t seen often — if at all — last season. Add in the scoring early in games through two preseason games and it’s quite impressive what the Steelers are doing.
It might be against basic scheme defenses as guys are just aiming to get live reps to get their legs under them, but Pickett and the Steelers are taking advantage of the reps and putting good tape out there.
Everybody is buying into the system overall and there’s ton of confidence that’s radiating off of the unit overall. That matters. It’s a huge development for Pittsburgh and is giving the starting offense a real springboard into the regular season, which is just under a month away.
If the explosive plays can remain and Pickett continues to look like a great leader and terrific quarterback overall, the Steelers are in business.
They are playing with purpose, and it is showing. The league could be on notice soon with the Steelers offense.
