CANTON, Ohio — Looking ahead to kickoff …
Game: Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings, preseason opener, 8:02 p.m., Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
TV, radio: NBC (national), 102.5 WDVE
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Pregame notes 4:02 p.m.: The preseason begins tonight, and after the Steelers visited the past last night with the induction of Jerome Bettis into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they’ll do it again against the Vikings. Mike Wallace, playing on his third team in four years, will suit up for the Vikings after something of a disappointing two-year run in Miami. Wallace had two catches on five targets for 19 yards in the Dolphins’ 34-28 win in 2013, the only time he’s faced his former team. … According to the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis, the Vikings will sit OL Joe Berger, DE Scott Crichton, DL B.J. Dubose, FB Zach Line, WR Gavin Lutman and OL David Yankey. The most notable name not on that list? Adrian Peterson. The former NFL MVP will suit up, but it isn’t expected that he gets a carry in the preseason. Mike Tomlin said he was going to sit Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, James Harrison, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller, possibly others. … This game won’t reveal a huge amount about the direction of the Steelers’ defense under Keith Butler. In fact, Tomlin mentioned multiple times this week “this game is about what we do, not what our opponents are doing.” He noted they’ll scheme a bit more for future games, but it won’t be a huge amount. … Click here for my five players to watch tonight.
6:28: It’s overcast and muggy at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and there’s a threat of rain later in the night. The Steelers linebackers are warming up, but not all of them are in game pants. It’s tough to see from the press box but it appears Ryan Shazier is one of the players in shorts. Whether that means he won’t play tonight is unknown, but Tomlin said other veterans would probably sit tonight, depending on position availability.
Inside linebacker is a position that hasn’t suffered many injuries, outside of Vince Williams’s tweaked hamstring suffered last week in practice.
Bryant is definitely out, and it was never in question, but he did get his cast removed Saturday, and should be back in practice this week. He may not be available for the Steelers’ Aug. 14 game against Jacksonville, but the injury isn’t thought to be anything that will keep him out of action for more than just the next few practices.
7:01: Dri Archer and Kenzel Doe are are fielding punts in warmups. Archer was one of the five players to watch tonight, and he may be the most important one. Among all the starters who won’t play, Archer is expected to receive the bulk of the punt and kick returns against the Vikings.
In a roundabout way, he is the only player tonight really auditioning for a starting position. There hasn’t ever really been an in-between for Archer. Last year, he raised excitement with a few big plays in the team’s first few preseason games. He was benched around the three-quarter mark of the season for a woeful average of 17 yards per return.
A middle ground sounds fine right now for a player who won’t be cut. Tonight won’t tell the entire story on Archer or his 2015 season, good or bad, but for the amount of time coaches have spent working with him on special teams, they wouldn’t mind a return past the 25-yard line.
7:20: It appears most of the Steelers Tomlin said wouldn’t play are dressed. Considering there are no roster limitations, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they’re warming up in pads because, hey, why not? It’s not really much of anything other than a light workout. Saturday was a travel day and they’re off tomorrow as well. Not a bad time to break a bit of a sweat on a humid night.
Jarvis Jones, Roethlisberger and Williams are not in pads, helping with warmup drills along the Steelers sideline. Mike Mitchell is dressed after not having practiced at all last week.
Recently acquired safety Jordan Dangerfield is dressed, wearing No. 37. He wore No. 42 with the Steelers last year, a number worn now by DB Jorden Sullen.
8:02: Bettis appears, the last Hall of Fame inductee to be announced, and the crowd goes crazy. There’s a great highlight reel playing in the press box showing some Steelers vs. Vikings highlights from the past, as well as a few shots from each team recently. They’re doing a good job here if providing some hype to a game that’s really not expected to bring much in terms of star power.
One highlight so far, Wallace met Bettis around the Vikings sideline after the Hall of Fame Class of 2015 was introduced, and the two embraced in a big hug.
Steelers call tails, win the toss, the official did not apparently change that call in the air. Kickoff to follow.
Landry Jones drops back to pass against the Vikings in the second half Sunday. — GETTY
8:21: The defense bent badly on the Vikings’ opening possession, but it didn’t break. Minnesota was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 11, this right after Lawrence Timmons sent old friend Mike Wallace into the next century with an open-field, shoulder-to-shoulder hit.
Fans of the 4-3 defense can be a little more excited tonight. On the second play from scrimmage, the Steelers were in a 4-3 front. Not a variation, not a modified rendition, that was a 4-3 look. I’m not sure I’ve seen that from them before, preseason or otherwise.
Stephon Tuitt was the weakside defensive end and Arthur Moats was the will (weakside) linebacker, Shazier was the sam (strongside) and Timmons was the mike (middle).
We did see a shakier tackling defense than what would have been ideal, Shazier and Antwon Blake having missed tackles.
But Shazier made the play of the drive, stopping the Vikings’ rush on fourth down by shooting in and taking out the fullback. It muddied up the waters enough for Jerick McKinnon, and he went down short of the line of gain. The Steelers took over, showing a new defense (there are Browns scouts here) and getting an impressive play from their second-year linebacker.
8:38: The fumble by C.J. Goodwin is being reviewed, and it should be overturned — but it’s the preseason. On replay, it appeared he was down by contact at around the 36 yard line.
Goodwin took a shot from Vikings linebacker Audie Cole, and recovered by safety Antone Exum, a second-year safety the Steelers spoke with before the 2014 NFL Draft.
8:43: The play stood, and it resulted in a missed field goal by Blair Walsh, the same guy who was banging 60-yard field goals in warmups. There is still no score, and judging by the Steelers’ slogging offense, it seems points will be tough to come by. The sun is all the way down here at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and the Steelers have pulled whatever offensive starters that were in the game initially.
Marcus Gilbert took a poke to the eye and will not return tonight. Considering the rest of the Steelers’ starting offensive linemen are out of the game now, it may not have anything to do with the injury.
Shakim Phillips made a sensational catch on a deep throw by Jones, and it was a pretty good throw too. Phillips was the only one who could have got that, a 35-yard completion that is, by far and away, the Steelers’ biggest offensive play of the night.
8:58: We have a score. The Steelers took six plays to go 36 yards in 1:43, Shaun Suisham hits from 36 yards out to give the Steelers the first score of the night with 8:23 remaining in the half.
Jones took two shots in the end zone, one to Sammie Coates that looks like a communication issue between the receiver and the passer. Coates stopped short in the end zone after a hitch and go, and Jones threw more toward the back pylon. After Jones hit Phillips on the 35-yard completion, Jones put up a competitive throw to Devin Gardner, who appeared to draw some contact down the field. Jones took a big hit after the throw, and still delivered a catchable ball.
9:06: A 34-yard touchdown catch from Mycole Pruitt after what appeared to be a miss in coverage by Green. Just like that, the Vikings grab a 7-3 lead with 4:20 remaining in the half. It was an 8-play, 81 yard touchdown drive that capped off in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Mike Kafka to Pruitt.
Green had Pruitt off the line in coverage, but appeared to think he had coverage of the fullback. Pruitt was wide open, and trotted into the end zone. It’s a negative mark against Green, a player who’s been coming on in camp recently, and has had extensive time tonight.
9:20: The Steelers stopped themselves inside the 3-yard line with two dropped would-be touchdown passes, one by Gardner (although it would have been a tougher catch), and another by Jesse James, the rookie fifth-round pick who catches that pass in every Seven Shots drill the Steelers have run in camp so far.
James clearly took his eyes off the ball, a completion he would have made at the 1-yard line and spun around into the end zone. Jones also had Goodwin wide open about three yards from James. A breakdown of coverage by the Vikings, and a failure to exploit it by the Vikings.
Word from the press box too is ex-Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who was watching in the crowd, was thrown out of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. So there’s that.
9:35: Jones was 10-for-18 for 103 yards passing in the first half, and he had a few drops mixed in there. He’s delivering the ball much more efficiently than he has in the past, and his accuracy is improved — but not to the point it can be considered a strength.
The Steelers’ offense only had 139 yards in the half, including just 2-for-8 on third downs. This isn’t the Steelers’ full offense, but it’s been shaky from an execution standpoint.
“We’re a work in progress,” right guard David DeCastro said. “I think we did some good things on the second drive and we got the ball moving. We didn’t get it started on the first three-and-out but it happens sometimes. There’s more than just one drive to a game, so it’s a good test to overcome a little adversity.”
Suisham to kick off to start the second half.
9:47: Stingily went down with 11:20 remaining in the third quarter with what could have been a right knee or ankle injury. He walked off the field under his own power but it looked bad on the replay. Jawon Chisholm is in for him now, and Stingily will not return.
Suisham suffered a knee injury as well, and he was listed as questionable to return.
10:05: The Vikings capitalize on a big punt return by Stefon Diggs, getting a 1-yard touchdown run by Joe Banyard to push the score to 13-3 before the game’s first 33-yard extra point.
It’s truly a historic moment. Walsh drilled it, Vikings take a 14-3 lead.
10:15: B.W. Webb jars loose a completion to Chase Ford, and it falls right into the hands of Kevin Fogg. On Jones’s first pass after that, he hit James in the hands, who again appears to turn around before securing the ball, and it resulted in a Vikings’ interception.
James looked dejected on the sideline, two drops tonight, one cost the Steelers a touchdown, the other cost them a possession.
August 9, 2015
Final: Vikings 14, Steelers 3
122by Neal Coolong • Game previews • Steelers
CANTON, Ohio — Looking ahead to kickoff …
Game: Steelers vs. Minnesota Vikings, preseason opener, 8:02 p.m., Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
TV, radio: NBC (national), 102.5 WDVE
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Pregame notes 4:02 p.m.: The preseason begins tonight, and after the Steelers visited the past last night with the induction of Jerome Bettis into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they’ll do it again against the Vikings. Mike Wallace, playing on his third team in four years, will suit up for the Vikings after something of a disappointing two-year run in Miami. Wallace had two catches on five targets for 19 yards in the Dolphins’ 34-28 win in 2013, the only time he’s faced his former team. … According to the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis, the Vikings will sit OL Joe Berger, DE Scott Crichton, DL B.J. Dubose, FB Zach Line, WR Gavin Lutman and OL David Yankey. The most notable name not on that list? Adrian Peterson. The former NFL MVP will suit up, but it isn’t expected that he gets a carry in the preseason. Mike Tomlin said he was going to sit Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Maurkice Pouncey, James Harrison, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller, possibly others. … This game won’t reveal a huge amount about the direction of the Steelers’ defense under Keith Butler. In fact, Tomlin mentioned multiple times this week “this game is about what we do, not what our opponents are doing.” He noted they’ll scheme a bit more for future games, but it won’t be a huge amount. … Click here for my five players to watch tonight.
6:28: It’s overcast and muggy at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and there’s a threat of rain later in the night. The Steelers linebackers are warming up, but not all of them are in game pants. It’s tough to see from the press box but it appears Ryan Shazier is one of the players in shorts. Whether that means he won’t play tonight is unknown, but Tomlin said other veterans would probably sit tonight, depending on position availability.
Inside linebacker is a position that hasn’t suffered many injuries, outside of Vince Williams’s tweaked hamstring suffered last week in practice.
Bryant is definitely out, and it was never in question, but he did get his cast removed Saturday, and should be back in practice this week. He may not be available for the Steelers’ Aug. 14 game against Jacksonville, but the injury isn’t thought to be anything that will keep him out of action for more than just the next few practices.
7:01: Dri Archer and Kenzel Doe are are fielding punts in warmups. Archer was one of the five players to watch tonight, and he may be the most important one. Among all the starters who won’t play, Archer is expected to receive the bulk of the punt and kick returns against the Vikings.
In a roundabout way, he is the only player tonight really auditioning for a starting position. There hasn’t ever really been an in-between for Archer. Last year, he raised excitement with a few big plays in the team’s first few preseason games. He was benched around the three-quarter mark of the season for a woeful average of 17 yards per return.
A middle ground sounds fine right now for a player who won’t be cut. Tonight won’t tell the entire story on Archer or his 2015 season, good or bad, but for the amount of time coaches have spent working with him on special teams, they wouldn’t mind a return past the 25-yard line.
7:20: It appears most of the Steelers Tomlin said wouldn’t play are dressed. Considering there are no roster limitations, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they’re warming up in pads because, hey, why not? It’s not really much of anything other than a light workout. Saturday was a travel day and they’re off tomorrow as well. Not a bad time to break a bit of a sweat on a humid night.
Jarvis Jones, Roethlisberger and Williams are not in pads, helping with warmup drills along the Steelers sideline. Mike Mitchell is dressed after not having practiced at all last week.
Recently acquired safety Jordan Dangerfield is dressed, wearing No. 37. He wore No. 42 with the Steelers last year, a number worn now by DB Jorden Sullen.
8:02: Bettis appears, the last Hall of Fame inductee to be announced, and the crowd goes crazy. There’s a great highlight reel playing in the press box showing some Steelers vs. Vikings highlights from the past, as well as a few shots from each team recently. They’re doing a good job here if providing some hype to a game that’s really not expected to bring much in terms of star power.
One highlight so far, Wallace met Bettis around the Vikings sideline after the Hall of Fame Class of 2015 was introduced, and the two embraced in a big hug.
Steelers call tails, win the toss, the official did not apparently change that call in the air. Kickoff to follow.
Landry Jones drops back to pass against the Vikings in the second half Sunday. — GETTY
8:21: The defense bent badly on the Vikings’ opening possession, but it didn’t break. Minnesota was stuffed on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 11, this right after Lawrence Timmons sent old friend Mike Wallace into the next century with an open-field, shoulder-to-shoulder hit.
Fans of the 4-3 defense can be a little more excited tonight. On the second play from scrimmage, the Steelers were in a 4-3 front. Not a variation, not a modified rendition, that was a 4-3 look. I’m not sure I’ve seen that from them before, preseason or otherwise.
Stephon Tuitt was the weakside defensive end and Arthur Moats was the will (weakside) linebacker, Shazier was the sam (strongside) and Timmons was the mike (middle).
We did see a shakier tackling defense than what would have been ideal, Shazier and Antwon Blake having missed tackles.
But Shazier made the play of the drive, stopping the Vikings’ rush on fourth down by shooting in and taking out the fullback. It muddied up the waters enough for Jerick McKinnon, and he went down short of the line of gain. The Steelers took over, showing a new defense (there are Browns scouts here) and getting an impressive play from their second-year linebacker.
8:38: The fumble by C.J. Goodwin is being reviewed, and it should be overturned — but it’s the preseason. On replay, it appeared he was down by contact at around the 36 yard line.
Goodwin took a shot from Vikings linebacker Audie Cole, and recovered by safety Antone Exum, a second-year safety the Steelers spoke with before the 2014 NFL Draft.
8:43: The play stood, and it resulted in a missed field goal by Blair Walsh, the same guy who was banging 60-yard field goals in warmups. There is still no score, and judging by the Steelers’ slogging offense, it seems points will be tough to come by. The sun is all the way down here at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and the Steelers have pulled whatever offensive starters that were in the game initially.
Marcus Gilbert took a poke to the eye and will not return tonight. Considering the rest of the Steelers’ starting offensive linemen are out of the game now, it may not have anything to do with the injury.
Shakim Phillips made a sensational catch on a deep throw by Jones, and it was a pretty good throw too. Phillips was the only one who could have got that, a 35-yard completion that is, by far and away, the Steelers’ biggest offensive play of the night.
8:58: We have a score. The Steelers took six plays to go 36 yards in 1:43, Shaun Suisham hits from 36 yards out to give the Steelers the first score of the night with 8:23 remaining in the half.
Jones took two shots in the end zone, one to Sammie Coates that looks like a communication issue between the receiver and the passer. Coates stopped short in the end zone after a hitch and go, and Jones threw more toward the back pylon. After Jones hit Phillips on the 35-yard completion, Jones put up a competitive throw to Devin Gardner, who appeared to draw some contact down the field. Jones took a big hit after the throw, and still delivered a catchable ball.
9:06: A 34-yard touchdown catch from Mycole Pruitt after what appeared to be a miss in coverage by Green. Just like that, the Vikings grab a 7-3 lead with 4:20 remaining in the half. It was an 8-play, 81 yard touchdown drive that capped off in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Mike Kafka to Pruitt.
Green had Pruitt off the line in coverage, but appeared to think he had coverage of the fullback. Pruitt was wide open, and trotted into the end zone. It’s a negative mark against Green, a player who’s been coming on in camp recently, and has had extensive time tonight.
9:20: The Steelers stopped themselves inside the 3-yard line with two dropped would-be touchdown passes, one by Gardner (although it would have been a tougher catch), and another by Jesse James, the rookie fifth-round pick who catches that pass in every Seven Shots drill the Steelers have run in camp so far.
James clearly took his eyes off the ball, a completion he would have made at the 1-yard line and spun around into the end zone. Jones also had Goodwin wide open about three yards from James. A breakdown of coverage by the Vikings, and a failure to exploit it by the Vikings.
Word from the press box too is ex-Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who was watching in the crowd, was thrown out of Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. So there’s that.
9:35: Jones was 10-for-18 for 103 yards passing in the first half, and he had a few drops mixed in there. He’s delivering the ball much more efficiently than he has in the past, and his accuracy is improved — but not to the point it can be considered a strength.
The Steelers’ offense only had 139 yards in the half, including just 2-for-8 on third downs. This isn’t the Steelers’ full offense, but it’s been shaky from an execution standpoint.
“We’re a work in progress,” right guard David DeCastro said. “I think we did some good things on the second drive and we got the ball moving. We didn’t get it started on the first three-and-out but it happens sometimes. There’s more than just one drive to a game, so it’s a good test to overcome a little adversity.”
Suisham to kick off to start the second half.
9:47: Stingily went down with 11:20 remaining in the third quarter with what could have been a right knee or ankle injury. He walked off the field under his own power but it looked bad on the replay. Jawon Chisholm is in for him now, and Stingily will not return.
Suisham suffered a knee injury as well, and he was listed as questionable to return.
10:05: The Vikings capitalize on a big punt return by Stefon Diggs, getting a 1-yard touchdown run by Joe Banyard to push the score to 13-3 before the game’s first 33-yard extra point.
It’s truly a historic moment. Walsh drilled it, Vikings take a 14-3 lead.
10:15: B.W. Webb jars loose a completion to Chase Ford, and it falls right into the hands of Kevin Fogg. On Jones’s first pass after that, he hit James in the hands, who again appears to turn around before securing the ball, and it resulted in a Vikings’ interception.
James looked dejected on the sideline, two drops tonight, one cost the Steelers a touchdown, the other cost them a possession.