James Harrison should see the field in the Steelers' preseason game against the Jaguars Friday -- GETTY

August 14, 2015

Steelers-Jaguars, preseason: Five to watch

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The struggling Jaguars host the Steelers in preseason action Friday, and they’ll do it without the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft — Dante Fowler, Jr. The Florida product was lost on the team’s first day of minicamp after he tore his ACL. It’s another set-back for an organization that hasn’t been

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38 Comments Newest to oldest

Kilo Echo
8-14-2015, 9:47 am
I wonder how many running backs the Steelers will keep. When Bell returns from suspension, I think they should just keep Bell, Williams, Archer and FB Will Johnson. If Bell should happen to go down with an injury, they could pick up a back up for Williams off the street.

Safety remains a position of real concern. Mike Mitchell has yet to prove he can stay healthy. What would be worse, dealing with an experienced guy whose physical limitations lead to mistakes, or an inexperienced guy who just needs to be developed by the coaching staff? I'd go with the youth movement if it were up to me.

I'm also interested in seeing Jesse James bounce back. I'd like to see Alejandro Villanueva get some reps early as well. If he keeps playing well, it may be difficult to hide him on the practice squad. You can't teach size as they say.

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Burghthing
8-14-2015, 10:02 am
You can't teach size, but has anyone actually tried?

William Maloni
8-14-2015, 12:45 pm
Yes, I've been trying mightily to make myself a 6 foot tall dude for 70 years, can't quite get there--no matter how often I tell people I am.

It's like 5' 91/2" is stamped on my forehead!"

billneville1
8-14-2015, 2:19 pm
Mike Mitchell has yet to prove he can stay healthy. In 6 seasons in the NFL he's played in 92 out of 96 regular season games. How exactly has he yet to prove he can stay healthy?

LoufromOSU
8-14-2015, 2:57 pm
You can't hide Villanueva on the practice squad anyways. Only rookies and first year players are eligble for practice squad. Since Villanueva was on it last season, he either makes a roster or is a free agent.

ripple3
8-14-2015, 4:29 pm
It should've said, "Mike Mitchell has yet to prove he can adequately play safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers."

DaddyKingslayer
8-14-2015, 10:00 am
I love pre-season. Last night, I watched Johnny Manziel lead the Browns down the field like an Army general. Tonight, I'm still looking at Dri Archer. I want him to light it up tonight. Break one big. Show me something. Get me excited. I'll be interested in Bryant also. Will he really cut into Brown's touches or will it be an all-out aerial assault every week by Big Ben? I love pre-season.

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Doc
8-14-2015, 10:09 am
Anybody know the best way to watch the game tonight since I'm not in Pittsburgh?

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geoffjarocki
8-14-2015, 10:22 am
No, but a replay is on NFLN at 1 on Saturday

Officer Jim Lahey
8-14-2015, 10:53 am
worst case Ontario is search Twitter about 15 minutes before start time...quality will probably be crap, but better than nothing...or just listen to the audio via official steelers website...or slingbox?

LGP6687
8-14-2015, 12:20 pm
Is there a best way to watch preseason football in any location? Perhaps inebriated. Other than that, I'm out of suggestions

kvn_epstein
8-14-2015, 12:32 pm
Nfl game pass lets you have a 7 day free trial and shows love all pre season games

JDW
8-14-2015, 12:42 pm
therefirstrow.eu and stream2watch.me are pretty good sites to stream sports. I use it when cbs in south central PA shows Ravens games on Sundays when obviously they should be showing the Steelers

Doc
8-14-2015, 2:02 pm
thanks for all the suggestions.

fmsfranksmith
8-14-2015, 11:16 am
Is Jarvis Jones becoming a bust? He's 25 years old and should be entering his prime, yet there's a compelling storyline focusing on how many snaps he'll share with the 37 year old (once retired) Harrision. Is this thought put off by Steeler fans because we have 2 potential stars + Timmons in the linebacking core?

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LoufromOSU
8-14-2015, 3:00 pm
Traditionally this would be the first year for Jarvis to play. It used to be that the OLB's would be groomed into the position. Unfortunately, due to free agency and other decisions, he was forced to start from a rookie year.
It took Cam Heyward 3 years to show his true potential. Gildon and Porter both had time to develop before becoming starters.
I don't know if he will be good, but at least give Jarvis a shot before calling him a bust.

ripple3
8-14-2015, 4:23 pm
I also think it's funny that Harrison is someone to watch. He wasn't good enough to be on the team a couple years ago. So, either he got better at football at the age of 36, or the defense has gotten much worse. He wasn't some kind of defensive star

ripple3
8-14-2015, 4:24 pm
...last year for the steelers. He just played better than people expected him too.

LGP6687
8-14-2015, 12:18 pm
I think it's hilarious that Neal leads by calling the Jags struggling, before they've even played a single game. No one would disagree either.

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LGP6687
8-14-2015, 12:25 pm
Also very telling that the franchise's glory days included David Gerrard

Neal Coolong
8-14-2015, 1:20 pm
Yeah, I mean...c'mon...how else do you describe them?

On that note, I learned much of what (little) I know of the game through Gus Bradley and Bob Babich, coaches at NDSU when I was there (Bob was the HC, Gus the DC).

Two incredibly sharp football guys who both happen to be friendly, welcoming and very funny.

I can't really lead with that, so...yeah.

TheGreatOne21
8-14-2015, 12:37 pm
Neal, has Mitchell had 'any' pre season work to step tonight and play some? How can that be, since he has hardly practiced this week.

How does that logically connect to taking a precautionary approach with him the first two weeks, and one if that practice and then playing?

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Neal Coolong
8-14-2015, 1:18 pm
It's logically connected by the possibility he wasn't really hurt for more than a day or two, but they held him out to get a look at the young safeties due to Golden's injury.

ripple3
8-14-2015, 4:21 pm
Goodness. I'd hope they'd want him to practice, considering he probably forgot what it feels like to successfully defend a pass. I believe he did that one time last year.

TheGreatOne21
8-14-2015, 6:09 pm
lol, good ripple. Neal, thank you, but my salient point was even if not hurt, has he had even 1 day or practice.

michaelfarraj
8-14-2015, 12:46 pm
Mike Mitchell blamed his poor performance last season due to groin injury and now he is nursing a hamstring injury the start of this pre-season, which makes one wonder if last year’s poor performance was a fluke or a trend in his career? I am very concerned with the Steelers secondary going into this season.

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EddieT
8-14-2015, 1:06 pm
"Five to Watch"...hmmm....It would be a lot easier to watch these five if the remaining seventeen guys would get out of the way....

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Neal Coolong
8-14-2015, 1:16 pm
BA BUM CHING!

Bubba Banjo
8-14-2015, 1:17 pm
Man I wanna see Tajh Boyd. Backup QB is a glaring weak spot in both spots right now. Ben goes down and Yikes!!! Jones looked better. But not the 2nd coming. I gotta admit I am biased with that Landry name..... just grates me. Might as well be Brady Jones. But he looked better his receivers were Ham-Handed. And man the kicking game that was an on auto pilot now might cost us games. Lots to watch here.

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Michael
8-14-2015, 1:23 pm
What about Bud Dupree? He spent last week getting pushed all over the field by Vikings' reserves. If he has another awful game, will it be time to mark him down as another Colbert/Tomlin 1st round OL bust, the second in three years? The Steeler drafting since Cowher left is what turns a contender into an also-ran. Not that Cowher didn't have misses, but he and Donahoe had a lot more hits. The Colbert/Tomlin combo has very few hits and a boatload of flops, especially on defense.

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SeanAY
8-14-2015, 1:33 pm
Yes. If he struggles in the second preseason game of his career, it's time to cut bait with him and move onward.

Lupe Sanchez
8-14-2015, 2:10 pm
Holy hell.

billneville1
8-14-2015, 2:25 pm
SMH

hernleyt
8-14-2015, 2:44 pm
What? Dupree is a LB for starters. And you're already calling him a bust after one preseason game? That is one of the more ridiculous things I've ever heard. Yes he has a ton of work to do but to call him a bust now reeks of Tomlin hating, especially considering that Jarvis is the other one you're calling a bust I'm assuming. This is a big year for Jarvis of course but he hasn't earned that label either yet. Lawrence Timmons, Cam Heyward, Sean Spence, Vince Williams, Antonio Brown, Kelvin Beachum, David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey, Le'Veon Bell, Daniel McCullers, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton among others would argue with your "Tomlin sucks" theory because they help disprove it.

steelag70
8-14-2015, 3:54 pm
@Michael: Wow....with that logic then, I guess Trae Waynes is a bust too and the Vikings should cut him.

Bridge
8-14-2015, 5:04 pm
WOW!!

TheGreatOne21
8-14-2015, 6:10 pm
Good Steel. Coates at his lunch.

Paul
8-14-2015, 4:57 pm
Kickers will be important to watch.

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Steelers-Jaguars, preseason: Five to watch

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