While the Pittsburgh Steelers may have lost Friday night against the Houston Texans, the final score doesn’t really matter too much because it’s just a preseason game. What is important is the performance of the players who are going to contribute to the Steelers this year. With it only being the first game, it’s still tough to tell, but there were certainly many ups and downs. The young offensive linemen got a decent amount of playing time though, and quarterback Kyle Allen seemed excited to get to play with them.
In a video from the team’s website, Allen was asked what it was like to play for his new team.
“It’s exciting,” Allen said. “This is my fifth team now, so I’m pretty used to being around new people. When I go out there, it’s usually with a lot of guys who are getting their first snaps and are trying to prove themselves. We got a good group of rookies, especially along that o-line. It’s fun to go out there and play with them. They love to play, they’re pure. They’re just trying to beat people up out there and have a good time.”
One positive takeaway from Friday night is that those rookie offensive linemen did seem prepared to hit people. Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu were ready to get into real action, even if they struggled in some areas against the Texans. In the run game, they helped to open lanes and move defenders. Pass protection seemed a little suspect upon a first viewing, but that’s to be expected.
The point of getting these reps now is to learn what they struggle with and help them develop. They’ve had a reputation of being gritty, tough road graders, and it seems that should translate on to the field. With two preseason games left, we’ll see if that trend of them beating people up continues.
Fautanu did suffer a knee injury, and while the severity of it is unknown, he could miss some time. That would be an unfortunate development for a young offensive line that seems to be jelling more and more as the days go on. Hopefully once he’s healthy he’ll be able to get right back into the swing of things and be ready to inflict violence on his opponents. Those offensive linemen could end up being the foundation of this team if they develop well enough.
