The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing in front of a home crowd for the first time this year in their second preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bucs have been in town for the latter half of the week to take part in a joint practice. It was a closed practice with strict media guidelines, but the information that came from those practices wasn’t promising for the Steelers. Their seven shots red zone offense was good, but otherwise, it sounds like they struggled both offensively and defensively in the practice. Baker Mayfield was originally scheduled to play against the Steelers today, but played so well in the joint practice that they are giving him the day off.
Meanwhile, Mike Tomlin is sitting nearly all his starters, taking the same approach as he did a week ago. The only notable starters who will be playing are younger guys like Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, Payton Wilson, Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton.
The progress of the run game, in particular, will be key to watch, as they have been criticized for their training camp and preseason performances so far.
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Nick Herbig will play a little after being held out of last game by Tomlin. Yahya Black is suited up as well despite missing some practices with a minor injury.
Start of Game
Teddy Bridgewater and the Buccaneers took the field first.
1st and 10, Bucky Irving tackled for a loss of one by Juan Thornhill. 2nd and 11, false start on the Bucs. 2nd and 16, Irving for just one yard and brought down by Cole Holcomb. 3rd and 15, complete to Sterling Shepard for 7 yards.
The punt went 42 yards to the 38-yard line.
1st and 10, Mason Rudolph complete to Kenneth Gainwell for 2 yards. 2nd and 8, Rudolph intercepted by Zyon McCollum to about the 50-yard line.
The snap was low and Rudolph was short intended for Roman Wilson.
1st and 10, Irving up the middle for 2 yards. 2nd and 8, Bridgewater’s pass was batted down by Keeanu Benton. 3rd and 8, and 18-yard completion and Jalen McMillan landed on his neck after flipping to the ground awkwardly. He is down injured.
McMillan was able to get up and walk off the field.
1st and 10, Bridgewater complete to Irving for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, Bridgewater threw the ball away after being chased down to the sideline. 3rd and 7, Cade Otton dropped the pass to force a punt.
D’Shawn Jamison ran into the kicker to give the Buccaneers a fresh set of downs.
1st and 10, Irving tackled for a loss of 3. 2nd and 13, Bridgewater to Irving in the back of the end zone with Wilson in coverage. Touchdown. 7-0 Buccaneers.
The kickoff was returned out to the 23 by Kaleb Johnson. 1st and 10, Gainwell off left tackle for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, Gainwell off left end for 1 yard. 3rd and 8, Rudolph scrambled for 7 yards, but came up just short of the line to gain.
Nick Herbig was injured and will not return.
Corliss Waitman punted 60 yards, but it was returned 37 yards to the 45. Long snapper Christian Kuntz was injured on the play. DT Logan Lee is likely the emergency long snapper, but they will need to sign one if his injury is bad.
1st and 10, Bridgewater complete to Shephard for 13 yards with Eku Leota in coverage.
1st and 10, Bridgewater incomplete to Irving. 2nd and 10, Irving up the middle for 4 yards. 3rd and 6, incomplete deep to Emeka Egbuka. 4th and 6, complete to Shepard over the middle for 27 yards.
1st and 10, Irving up the middle for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, Irving up the middle for 1 yards. 3rd and 4, Echols in coverage on Egbuka for a five-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone. 14-0 Buccaneers.
Is this what the joint practice felt like?
Kaleb Johnson returned the kickoff to the 32-yard line and a five-yard penalty tacked on for decent starting field position.
1st and 10, Mason Rudoloph deep in the middle to Roman WIlson for 42 yards. Beautiful throw and catch.
1st and 10, incomplete, but pass interference moved the Steelers to the two-yard line.
1st and 10, Rudolph incomplete to Max Hurleman with a possible drop. 2nd and goal, Rudolph rolled out and complete for a touchdown to Brandon Johnson. Logan Lee was indeed the emergency long snapper. 14-7 Buccaneers.
1st and 10, Kyle Trask incomplete to Sean Tucker. 2nd and 10, Tucker up the middlew for 2 yards with Derrick Harmon on the stop. 3rd and 8, Harmon bull rushed for a sack.
The punt went 62 yards.
1st and 10, Skylar Thompson complete to Roman Wilson wide open up the sideline for 30 yards. He is already approaching 100 yards, which is great news for him and the team.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 14-7 BUCCANEERS
1st and 10, Thompson layered the pass into Scotty Miller for 12 yards.
1st and 10, Thompson incomplete deep to Wilson. 2nd and 10, Johnson off left end for 1 yard. 3rd and 9, Thompson sacked for a loss of 7. Cameron Johnston’s punt went 34 yards to the 11-yard line.
1st and 10, Cole Holcomb shot into the backfield for no gain. 2nd and 10, Trask complete to Tucker for 4 yards. 3rd and 6, Trask incomplete. The punt went 63 yards to the 22, returned 4 yards by Williams.
1st and 10, Johnson found a lane and took it 14 yards. His first good run in a Steelers uniform.
1st and 10, Johnson up the middle for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, Thompson complete to Brandon Johnson for 5 yards. 3rd and 2, Johnson up the middle for 1 yard. 4th and 1, Thompson complete to Connor Heyward for 1 yard to convert.
1st and 10, Thompson complete to Johnson for 9 yards. 2nd and 1, complete to Miller for 23 yards.
1st and 10, Thompson to JJ Galbreath for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, incomplete to Trey Sermon. 3rd and 5, Lance McCutcheon dropped the pass and it was intercepted.
1st and 10, Tucker up the middle for 6 yards. 2nd and 4, Williams up the middle for 6 yards.
1st and 10, Williams up the middle for 10 yards.
1st and 10, Tucker up the middle, but tackled by Malik Harrison for a loss of 2. 2nd and 12, Trask incomplete to Johnson. 3rd and 12, Trask complete to Tucker for 7 yards with Harrison and Lee making the tackle.
The punt went 45 yards and returned 11 yards to the 34-yard line.
1st and 10, Johnson off right tackle for no gain. 2nd and 10, Thompson sacked for no gain running out of bounds.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
3rd and 15 after the false start, Thompson complete to Brandon Johnson for 9 yards. The punt was downed at the 12-yard line.
1st and 10, Trask incomplete to Tucker. 2nd and 10, Trask scrambled for 4 yards. 3rd and 6, Trask complete to Johnson for 8 yards.
1st and 10, Trask incomplete with 00:23 remaining on his own 24-yard line. This quarter should be coming to a close. 2nd and 10, incomplete. 3rd and 10, incomplete.
The punt went 51 yards, returned 11 yards to the 36.
1st and 10, Thompson incomplete deep to Max Hurleman. They kneeled the ball to end the half.
END OF 1ST HALF: 14-7 BUCCANEERS
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