There will be no offensive woes this week for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it seems.
Taking the opening kickoff, the Steelers marched right down the field and punched in the game’s first touchdown in the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. Veteran running back Cordarrelle Patterson scored on a 31-yard run off of left tackle, giving the Steelers’ starting offense its first touchdown of the preseason.
It was perfectly executed from a blocking standpoint, too. Rookie center Zach Frazier and veteran left guard Isaac Seumalo were terrific on a combo block, allowing Seumalo to then peel off and work to the second level, sealing the linebacker and giving Patterson a clear lane through the heart of the Detroit defense.
That sight of Patterson up the gut and finding the end zone on the ground is a familiar one from Arthur Smith’s offense.
Coming into Saturday’s preseason finale, the Steelers’ offense had largely been a mess. But against the Lions on the first drive of the game — albeit against Detroit’s backups — the Steelers marched right down the field.
Prior to Patterson’s 31-yard touchdown run, quarterback Russell Wilson hooked up with wide receiver George Pickens for a 32-yard gain on a 3rd and 11 after the Steelers started at their 40-yard line due to a penalty after Detroit’s kickoff didn’t find the landing zone.
So after some rough performances earlier in the preseason from the first-team offense, the Steelers’ first-team offense can feel good about finding the end zone, quieting some of the noise.
