Home Training Camp News SCB Steelers vs. Vikings Game Preview

SCB Steelers vs. Vikings Game Preview

by Steeldad

The Steelers and Vikings officially kick off the 2015 NFL season, or preseason if you will, tonight in Canton, Ohio. We’ve already been told that the Steelers will not be playing many of their star players and that’s fine by me.

When: 8pm ET

Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

TV/Radio: NBC- Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth… Steelers Nation Radio, WDVE Bill Hillgrove, Tunch Ilkin, Craig Wolfley… You can hear me call the game on rabble.tv.

Go to rabble.tv and find my broadcast. I guarantee you’ll laugh at the very least.

The Steelers all-time preseason record is 120-106-1.

This is the sixth time the Steelers have played in the Hall of Fame Game. Previous results:

1963 Steelers 16 Browns 7

1964 Baltimore Colts 48 Steelers 16

1983 Steelers 28 Saints 13

1998 Buccaneers 30 Steelers 6

2007 Steelers 20 Saints 7

Last time the Vikings and Steelers met was in the 2013 regular season in London, England. Minnesota won 34-27.

In 2006, Mike Tomlin was the defensive coordinator for the Vikings.

What to Watch For: To put it simply, the young guys. Tonight is a great opportunity to not only watch the rookies in their first game action as well as players like Jarvis Jones, Landry Jones and Dri Archer who all need to start proving themselves.

While it’s just the ‘preseason,’ the Steelers have been pretty awful in it the last couple of years. Mike Tomlin and the rest of the team will always tell you the preseason record doesn’t matter and I agree. The only exception is for the rookies.

I think it’s important to know what it’s like to win at the NFL level regardless of whether it’s a preseason game or not. As always, the number one goal for any team in the preseason is to come out of it healthy. It’s much easier said than done, but that is far and away the most important thing for any coach.

That said, I think getting at least one victory is nice too. Although I don’t really think tonight will be one where a team ‘plays to win’ with so many vets not playing.

photo courtesy wtae.com

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7 comments

Vittorio Di Stazio August 9, 2015 - 6:58 pm

Marc you are right that tonight is all about the rookies and the “young vets” but I want to see who does better and there is a matchup I am looking at: Blanchflower vs. James. It’s the guy that I always have said would end being ether miller’s replacement or the No.2 TE vs. the guy pretty much everybody loves except me so I’m interested in that but also I want to see what guys like Coates, Grant and Dupree do cause they are expected to be key contributors to the team. Yes this game is going to be boring but I encourage all of you who watch don’t limit yourself to the football game, there is a bucco game tonight at the ball park and I will be flipping back and forth between the 2 games just to keep myself occupied for those 3+ hours.

steeldad August 9, 2015 - 7:50 pm

Sorry to break it to you Vittorio but the Steelers released Blanchflower last week. He had another injury and with James and Clear doing well enough the let him go.

Vittorio Di Stazio August 9, 2015 - 10:08 pm

Damnit. The one guy I really wanted to be on the roster gets released in favor of 2 guys, 1 who is out of shape in Clear and the other couldn’t block to save his life in the form of James. Fine I give up since everybody feels that James and Clear are the “better” options, I flat out quit the argument or discussion or whatever you people feel would be the best way to describe the TE situation. I’ll make this last statement neither of those 2 guys will crack the 53 man roster or even make the practice squad.

steeldad August 9, 2015 - 10:38 pm

I liked Blanchflower as well but he wasn’t healthy last year and it happened again this year. James is a lock for the third TE. I know you don’t want to hear that but it’s true.

Ben Anderson August 11, 2015 - 6:02 pm

Blanchflower was running #5 TE before his injury. I liked him when he was drafted too, but he’s proven not to be an NFL caliber player. Cameron Clear is incredibly raw and was still in front of him on the depth chart.

Vittorio Di Stazio August 10, 2015 - 2:37 am

As I’m watching the game I see James drop an easy and no joke here a easy TD. The next time I see the ball thrown to him he doesn’t haul the ball in and it gets picked off. Yeah it may be 1 preseason game but there is a word to describe James and I can’t say it but you people know what that word is anyway.

bob graff August 10, 2015 - 2:39 am

Well James did everything he could to break that lock tonight. I know it’s only preseason but our young defensive guys need to play well they are not experienced vets where they can get a pass. The bad if you touch Archer he’s going down, Why do our OLB keep crashing down on the line leaving outside contain, It’s only preseason so lets hope it ain’t that bad. Lets hope things get better.

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