Standouts against Colts came in second half
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers lost their “dress rehearsal” to the Indianapolis Colts, 19-15, on Saturday night and fell to 2-1 this preseason. The standouts from this game, much like the other two, came primarily out of the second half:
6. James Harrison
The 39-year-old outside linebacker made his first appearance of the preseason in the middle of the second quarter before beginning a three-way rotation at two spots.
Harrison wasn’t credited with a tackle, but that was due to faulty bookkeeping. Harrison and Vince Williams are credited in the Gamebook with splitting a sack of Stephen Morris that brought about a third-quarter punt in the middle of the Steelers’ 10-point rally.
Harrison showed off his power Saturday night by collapsing the pocket with bull-rushes, and later passed his run test when he pursued and pressured Morris to the opposite sideline.
“I played all right,” said Harrison. “We could all play better. It was sub-par by the whole defense. We didn’t play up to the standard.”
Does Harrison feel that getting into “football shape” will be a problem?
“Even if I thought it was a problem, or was going to be a problem, I wouldn’t tell you,” he said.
Yep. James is back.
5. JuJu Smith-Schuster
The rookie receiver is given a hall pass for a big mistake on a game-turning play because of the toughness he’s showing in playing through excruciating pain in his left ankle.
Smith-Schuster was hit in his left leg late in the second quarter and limped off the field. His ankle’s been a problem since he injured it the first practice of training camp, but he returned in the third quarter and converted a key third-and-10 by bouncing off a tackle short of the sticks and continuing to run for a 15-yard gain. It set up the Steelers’ go-ahead field goal.
However, in the middle of the fourth quarter, Smith-Schuster was the target of an inexplicable first-and-goal playcall from the one. He was supposed to slant for Landry Jones, but stopped short and the pass was intercepted. It was the game-turning play, and similar to the Russell Wilson pass that cost the Seattle Seahawks a Lombardi Trophy two years ago.
“It was just a miscommunication on that one,” Smith-Schuster said. “I thought it was going to go over top.”
Smith-Schuster was in obvious pain in the locker room as he took off his socks and shoes, but said “It’s not going to stop me.”
What about the third-and-10 conversion earlier in the half?
“Those guys thought they could hit me up high,” he said, “but I’m like (Marcus Tuck(er) right here, The Hulk. They hit me up high and I just broke out of it and got the first.”
4. Cameron Sutton
As with Harrison, this mention is primarily about showing up. The third-round pick missed nearly all of training camp with a hamstring injury but played well in the second half Saturday night.
With the Steelers alternating Ross Cockrell and Coty Sensabaugh at left cornerback, and Will Gay and Mike Hilton in the slot, Sutton entered in the third quarter to play the slot in the 6-DB dime package. Sutton broke up the pass on his first NFL preseason snap.
“I was in the moment,” he said. “Obviously, it’s surreal just being out there, to have the opportunity to say that you are in the NFL, and then just being out there on the field with a great group of guys. And then, especially, to make a play on my first play out there, it was definitely a surreal moment.”
Sutton replaced Artie Burns outside on the next series and tackled the Colts’ running back for a three-yard loss, the first of Sutton’s three tackles. The rookie appears to be making up for his lost time.
“You can’t overwhelm yourself,” Sutton cautioned. “Obviously I know I missed a lot of time, missed a lot of reps, but that’s something I can’t control. Injuries, you can’t really control. But it’s about staying around the team, staying in meetings, going out to practice, doing what I can at practice, and then when I get this opportunity just be locked and ready to go.”
Burns missed most of training camp as a rookie as well last season, but was a starter by mid-season. The Steelers need a similar response from Sutton.
3. Xavier Grimble
The X Man didn’t play until the second half, due to what he called “a miscommunication” with his position coach, but the tight end immediately made his presence felt on his first play when he pulled out ahead of James Conner for an 11-yard gain. Grimble capped an outstanding series by catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jones that pulled the Steelers to within a point.
“I was flexed out a little bit,” Grimble said of the Steelers’ only touchdown.
“He pressed up on me, which is what I wanted so I could get my hands on him earlier. Kind of felt like I was going to block him and then I just released off him and Landry had great timing, great ball. He put it in a great spot to make the catch.”
What about the blocking? Grimble executed the same play for which Tomlin praised another tight end, Jake McGee, earlier in the preseason.
“I made a better decision than I did last week and went outside,” Grimble said of Conner’s sweep. “I like that play because you get the running back behind you and you have a full head of steam. You just pray you’ve got a guy out there to make the block on. The back made a quick hit, hit the hole. It makes you look good.”
Does Grimble still experience anxiety about making the team?
“There’s always anxiety,” he said. “But I try to relax and just do what I do well and let the rest take care of itself. There’s pressure and anxiety either way, so I try to just take a deep breath, take it play by play, and give it my best. A touchdown definitely helps.”
2. Ryan Shazier
Another on the list just for playing, but Shazier ranks high because of an outstanding interception that killed a Colts drive early in the second quarter. Shazier surprised QB Scott Tolzien by coming underneath to snare a pass intended for tight end Jack Doyle at the Pittsburgh 20. Shazier returned it to the 32 before taking a knee.
“I knew he was going to try to drill it in, especially because I was going flat and the guy seemed open,” Shazier said.
As for the aborted return: “There were a lot of guys in the way and I was like ‘I gotta get down.’ You’ve got to know when the play’s over with.”
Shazier was pulled after the play, and Steelers fans probably didn’t mind since Shazier has been hobbled this summer by a hamstring injury.
Injuries cost Shazier four starts last season, and he has yet to start more than 12 games in a season during his three-year career. His value to the defense grows each season, as does fan anxiety over his injuries.
“Yeah, I get anxiety myself,” Shazier said. “I like to be on the field with my guys but sometimes you’ve just got to do what’s best for the team. The trainers feel like right now what’s best for the team is to pull me out at the time that they did. I’m going to do everything I can to try and be here all 20 games we’re going to be playing in this season.”
1. Terrell Watson
Watching an interception from the backfield on a first-and-goal play in the fourth quarter — with the lead and probably a win only one yard away — must’ve caused this young bull of a running back to feel like Marshawn Lynch.
Watson didn’t understand the point until reminded of the Seahawks’ Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots on a similar play. And then he was urged to “Go ahead, rip the coach. It’ll help you make the team.”
That reporter — me — was joking, of course, and Watson realized it once the group surrounding him broke into laughter.
“You’re crazy. You’re crazy, man,” said the good-natured Watson, who then defended the playcall. “We had the look that we wanted. It was base out there and we checked into our base play and it was the right call.”
Watson had fueled the doomed 79-yard drive by rushing five times for 23 yards and gaining 22 yards on a screen pass. He had to be “feeling it” at the goal line, didn’t he?
“No, it was the right call,” Watson said. “When my number’s called, I’ll get the job done. We made the right call.”
Not only did Watson say all the right things after the game, he led the Steelers with 40 yards on eight carries, with another 42 yards on four receptions. The 240-pounder out of Christian Okoye’s Azusa Pacific is making a serious bid to win a roster spot.
“I definitely feel like my game has evolved, especially being here and working with Sax,” Watson said of RBs coach James Saxon. “He’s big on the passing game and making sure we know how to run routes and catch the ball. My rookie year I don’t think I was very good at running routes and catching the ball. My third year now I think I’ve gotten more comfortable doing that stuff. With Sax, I’ve become a running back who can do wide receiver stuff out in space.”