Home Steelers 2021 Season What to Watch For in the Steelers Third Preseason Game

What to Watch For in the Steelers Third Preseason Game

by Ian
Roethlisberger

Even though the NFL shortened the preseason in order to shoehorn in a 17th regular season game this season, the Steelers participation in the Hall of Fame Game gave them a relatively “normal” preseason. Traditionally, the starters only played in the third preseason game while the fourth was reserved almost entirely for the fringe roster players trying to make their last case for inclusion. The Steelers have mostly stuck to that mold this year, playing very few starters on the questionable turf in Canton. A handful more saw time last week against Philadelphia. This week against Detroit, the starters should see a majority of the time in the first half with the backups playing the second half. Here are the biggest storylines we’ll be watching for as the Steelers the the field for their third preseason game on Saturday night.

1. Offensive Line

Coming into training camp, everyone knew that the offensive line would be a work in progress. Some injuries have also set things back in building chemistry with the group. Kevin Dotson finally got to run with the first team this week. On the whole, the first team line did not play well against Philadelphia and did not do much to help Mason Rudolph or Najee Harris. With Ben Roethlisberger starting this game, we want to see the starting line take a step in the right direction and show they can not only protect Ben but also create holes in the running game. Last week the second-team O-line played well. Dan Moore has been a pleasant surprise and seems to have cemented himself as the “swing” tackle at this point. Don’t count Moore out for potentially taking over the left tackle spot this season if Okorafor continues to struggle in pass protection.

2. Slot Cornerback

With the third corner generally playing over 70% of defensive snaps, the slot corner position is essentially a starter. The Steelers gave 2019 sixth round pick Antoine Brooks the first shot at the slot corner spot in training camp, but he was injured in the Hall of Fame Game and missed the Philadelphia game. They also gave free agent signee Arthur Maulet a chance against Philadelphia, and he was a bit underwhelming. The third corner who seems to be playing the best is James Pierre on the outside. If Pierre comes in as the third corner, that would shuffle Cam Sutton to the inside in passing situations. The Steelers have two preseason games left to figure out how they are going to distribute the labor for the slot corner position, and we’d love to see some clarity after the tilt with Detroit.

3. Roster Battles

While the Mason Rudolph vs Dwayne Haskins debate has seemingly dominated the headlines, the fact is that both players will likely make the roster as backups to Big Ben. Elsewhere, there are legitimate battles where guys are fighting for roster spots. At running back, Benny Snell has yet to see preseason action, Jaylen Samuels ran well last week, and Kalen Ballage was impressive against backups in the Hall of Fame Game. At wide receiver, Coby White and others could push for a roster spot. On the defensive line, there are likely 4 guys (Wormley, Loudermilk, Buggs, Davis) battling for three roster spots. The Steelers rarely keep 10 linebackers, which means guys like Ulysses Gilbert and Marcus Allen might have tough roads on the inside. On the outside, veteran Cassius Marsh is “just a guy” while undrafted rookie Jamir Jones has shown flashes of upside, but will it be enough to unseat the veteran? At cornerback, a number of players are still in the mix for a roster spot, including Justin Layne, Mark Gilbert, and Lafayette Pitts.

4. Special Teams

This is where jobs are won and lost in the preseason. The last few spots on the roster seemingly always go to players who are able to make significant contributions on special teams. Keep an eye on which players are running with the first team coverage units and which players are making tackles. On top of that, there are potentially two roster spots still to be decided with the specialists. The most high-profile battle is between Pressley Harvin III and Jordan Berry for the punter’s job. Berry has always played well when the weather is warm, which has helped him continue to win camp battles. Harvin was the team’s 7th round pick and had an incredible debut in the Hall of Fame Game. Not only are we watching the punting, but keep an eye out for how they hold on Chris Boswell’s kick attempts. Keep an eye on the kick and punt returner situation too, because if Anthony McFarland can unseat RayRay McCloud, that puts McCloud’s roster spot in jeopardy. Additionally, don’t count out Christian Kuntz stealing the long snapper gig from Kameron Canaday.

5. No Injuries

This is always the most important part of any preseason game. We want to see the players perform well, but it is essentially still a practice game. Avoiding injuries is the most important factor towards long-term success. This will be the Steelers first appearance at Heinz Field this season. An ideal game, regardless of the final score, starts with the team suffering no significant injuries. Chase Claypool was injured in practice earlier this week and likely won’t play, but a number of other players who have missed some time in camp should be returning to the field for action tonight.

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