The preseason might be one of the most divisive aspects of the NFL. Fans have complained about the cost of season tickets including preseason games and the quality of play, especially later in games. Players have suffered serious injuries in games that have no bearing on the standings.
However, there are those who see the benefit of preseason action. There are players who have made rosters or won position battles thanks to their preseason performances. Pittsburgh Steelers C Mason Cole finds value in what happens on the field during the preseason and shared his thoughts with Teresa Varley of Steelers.com on Monday.
“It’s always challenging on how to see the preseason,” Cole said. “Anytime you go out there and you roll the ball on the field, what you do out there is a big deal. To go out there and have success is big. No matter if they’re game planning, we’re game planning, whoever we are going against. It doesn’t matter. It’s good to have success whenever you roll the ball out.”
Perhaps the biggest part of this discussion is viewing success. Is winning a game that is meaningless in terms of the standings a success? Or is it going out and executing the plays that are called and winning individual battles?
In the grand scheme of the 2023 NFL season, winning the first two games of the preseason, like Pittsburgh has done, does not actually mean much at all. On the flip side, players like QB Kenny Pickett making consistently good decisions is a success. WR Calvin Austin III getting back on the field and showing the same explosive ability he had in college at Memphis is a success. Rooke LB Nick Herbig showing out with two sacks and a forced fumble is a success.
So, while winning preseason games is no indicator of future success once every team is playing their starters for four quarters rather than a drive or two, how those starters play during those drives can be deemed a success or failure.
So far, the Steelers’ first-team offense is leaning heavily towards a successful preseason. Pickett has thrown for two touchdowns and protected the ball well. He showed the ability to throw TE Pat Freiermuth open for Pittsburgh’s second touchdown against the Buffalo Bills last Saturday. The offensive line has kept Pickett clean as well, which is encouraging after the team allowed 38 sacks last season.
Perhaps the biggest success of the preseason is Pickett. Per Alex Kozora’s breakdown in that article on the sacks allowed in 2022, Pickett was arguably responsible for nine of the sacks given up, the most by an individual player on the roster. While he hasn’t played a lot of snaps, he’s been successful each time he’s played.
Once the regular season starts in September, we can measure success by wins and losses. If Pickett (and by extension the offense) can continue the trend of success from these first two preseason games, then we should be seeing more and more success.
