Looking ahead to kickoff …
Game: Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers, preseason, 1:02 p.m., Heinz Field
TV, radio: KDKA, 102.5 WDVE
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Neal’s five pregame notes:
• The Steelers did some game-planning heading into their game against the Packers.
“We’re going through more of a preparation than we have other games,” Mike Tomlin said. “We’re working off cards and really looking at the opponent and working off their personality, so I expect that to be reflected in our play.”
He noted the Packers have many of the same coaches and players as they had in 2013 when the Steelers defeated the Packers 38-31 in Green Bay. The game-planning piece of this contest isn’t specific to the challenge of taking on the Packers. Tomlin wanted to see, as he said, which players “understands fundamental-rules football,” and “who can play above the line without game plan-specific things.”
That win over the Packers in 2013 was without Aaron Rodgers under center. Even game-planning for Rodgers typically leads to defensive losses.
• Lawrence Timmons, Josh Harris, Vince Williams and David Nelson will not play in this game. Timmons is the most notable, but Harris is slated to compete with Dri Archer for the team’s backup running back position during Le’Veon Bell’s suspension. The time he’s spent injured this preseason can’t be helping his stock in that regard. He suffered a foot injury on his second carry against the Jaguars, and hasn’t practice since.
Tomlin noted that Williams is close to being back from a hamstring injury he suffered before the Jaguars game, but isn’t 100 percent yet. Goodwin is a practice squad candidate, and will likely be competing with Tyler Murphy and Shakim Phillips for one, maybe two, practice squad receiver positions.
• Dan McCullers has missed a good chunk of time over the last two weeks. Tomlin noted he’ll be a “key, central piece” to the Steelers’ defensive line depth this season. He’s expected to play Sunday, his first action since the Hall of Fame game against the Vikings Aug. 9.
• The Ian Wild Experiment will continue Sunday. “Wild Thing” was moved from safety to inside linebacker over the second half of training camp due to injuries sustained by Timmons (toe, out Sunday), Williams (hamstring, out Sunday) and Jordan Zumwalt (waived/injured).
His position flexibility is a bonus, according to Tomlin, but it’s nothing they didn’t know about Wild when they signed him this offseason.
“He had a background in both areas,” Tomlin said. “The thing that was most intriguing about (Wild) is his special teams background. He’s a football player first, a position guy second.”
Wild was the fullback on the punt team during Robert Golden’s absence due to injury. Golden is back now, and Wild’s chances of making the 53-man roster aren’t great, but he’s a strong bet for the practice squad.
• This game was initially scheduled to be played at 8 p.m. ET, but ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball grabbed the Pirates/Giants game for their broadcast. Parking concerns compelled the Steelers and Packers to move their game to 1 p.m.
This is neither the first nor the last time an NFL game time will be changed due to an MLB game in the same city. Most notably, the Ravens won the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, but were forced to open the 2013 season on the road due to a scheduling conflict with the Orioles. They wouldn’t move their game that afternoon to accommodate the Ravens playing that night. Like the Steelers and Pirates, the Ravens and Orioles play short distances away from each other and they share parking amenities.
Instead, the Ravens travelled to Denver and were shellacked 49-27 by the Broncos.
In case you were wondering, Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park are approximately 30 miles away from each other, and the Red Sox do not play on Thursday, Sept. 10 — the NFL opener between the Steelers and Patriots.
Follow the game with Neal
Update 12:03 p.m.: The Packers announced their inactive list for the game: LBs Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, WRs Javess Bess and Jared Abberderis, CB Demetri Goodson, DB Kyle Sebetic, OT David Bakhtiari, DT Mike Daniels and TE Justin Perillo.
Tomlin noted C.J. Goodwin was not expected to play as of Friday, but he’s not on the team’s Will Not Play list. It’s confirmed Timmons, Williams, Harris and Nelson are out.
Recently signed linebacker L.J. Fort will wear No. 54, and he’s dressed after just two practices this week.
1:13: Green Bay won the toss and elected to kick the tar out of the Steelers’ defense on their opening drive. The Packers pulled off a 10-play, 80-yard drive in 5:06, scoring on a seven-yard run by Eddie Lacy.
The Steelers opened the game in a nickel defense, with Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt on the line. Jarvis Jones and Arthur Moats were on the outside with Sean Spence and Ryan Shazier inside. Shamarko Thomas and Mike Mitchell were the safeties, Antwon Blake, Cortez Allen and Will Gay were the corners.
The Packers were barely contested on the drive. A poor start for the Steelers, but a nice return by Dri Archer gives them decent field position on their opening drive.
1:31: The Steelers got a stop on first down, something that seems rare this preseason. That led to an incomplete pass, and perhaps the best defensive play this preseason.
James Harrison and Bud Dupree, in for Moats and Jones, both collapsed on the outside, and Spence came up the middle to pressure Rodgers. Harrison was credited with the sack and safety, and the Steelers pick up two points.
1:37: Maurkice Pouncey appeared to have his left ankle rolled over on a play. The center was down for a minute on the ground but walked off, limping, under his own power. There isn’t an update on his status right now, but Cody Wallace has replaced him.
Tomlin also said Chris Hubbard would get time at center in this game.
1:43: Pouncey left the field area on a cart. Shades of Week 1 of 2013 are coming back. The team confirmed he has a left ankle injury and is out for the remainder of the game.
1:52: Even without Pouncey, the Steelers kept their starters in at the beginning of the second quarter and marched down the field. A 7-play, 54-yard drive was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Markus Wheaton. After Garrett Hartley’s extra point, the Steelers take a 9-8 lead.
The key play was a 20-yard Roethlisberger to Wheaton reception across the middle. Ben shrugged off some early pressure, stepped in and drilled the throw down the middle.
It appears Roethlisberger’s day is over, as is Rodgers, as the Packers come on the field. Roethlisberger finished the day 11-of-14 with 100 yards and the touchdown to Wheaton.
After a nice throw from Scott Tolzien, Tuitt came up hobbled, favoring his left ankle. Not a great day for Heinz Field and left ankles, that may have been what Nelson injured as well.
It appears Cam Thomas entered the game for Tuitt, although L.T. Walton was out there for a play as well.
One play after that, Packers guard T.J. Lang was helped off the field. That’s four injured players before halftime, all are starters.
2:05: A left ankle injury is the diagnosis for Tuitt, he, like Pouncey, will not return to this game. The back-ups are in on offense.
2:24: Tolzien hit Richard Rogers on a 21-yard touchdown throw, capitalizing on a poor snap by Hubbard to Bruce Gradkowski that was recovered by the Packers. The score and subsequent two-point conversion gives the Packers a 16-9 lead.
Gradkowski becomes the latest injured Steeler. He’s questionable to return with a finger injury on his left hand. It appeared to occur during the fumbled snap.
2:56: Jones’s start was fairly close to his finish. On his first pass of the day, he lobbed a wounded duck toward Bryant, who was never close to a good position to catch the ball. It was intercepted, and the Packers converted it into a 55-yard field goal from Mason Crosby.
It’s likely the Internet and most social media applications exploded when Jones’s first pass was picked off, but with Gradkowski’s injury, and Tomlin’s insistence that Tyler Murphy’s use from here on out is as a receiver. There will also likely be cat-calls regarding the release of Tajh Boyd. Jones is the team’s third string quarterback, and that’s probably the case even if he throws another two interceptions.
3:12: A 54-yard pass from Jones to Sammie Coates set up a 46-yard field goal for Hartley, pulling the Steelers within a touchdown at 19-12.
Something happened with the coverage on Coates’s catch, but he got free outside and he got fast. A great route for him, doing a nice job of adjusting to an underthrown ball and making the play.
3:40: Coates would erase any good sentiment generated from the big catch by dropping a shallow crossing route in the fourth quarter. The few fans still remaining at Heinz Field booed lustily, he took a ripping on Twitter and didn’t look like he was taking it heroically.
3:50: Jones hit Murphy, who made a nifty off-balanced cut back to the outside to get in the end zone. It was a great catch capping off an otherwise ugly drive full of drops (three) and penalties (four between both teams). The Steelers went for two and failed to convert, leaving them down 19-18.
On one hand, going for two gives them some experience with it. Jones targeted Murphy again who nearly came up with a tough catch in traffic. On the other, many will be thankful for all but ensuring the game won’t go to overtime.
3:58: We’ll have to try to track Murphy down in a bit, but he’s played very well. An inspired Steelers’ offense survived multiple drops and a few poor throws to make it down the field into the end zone a second time. This time, Jones hit Shakim Phillips on a 20-yard strike in which Phillips went over the defender.
The Steelers took a 24-19 lead, and are well on their way to their first preseason victory.
August 23, 2015
Final: Steelers 24, Packers 19
267by Neal Coolong • Game previews • Steelers
Looking ahead to kickoff …
Game: Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers, preseason, 1:02 p.m., Heinz Field
TV, radio: KDKA, 102.5 WDVE
Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes
Neal’s five pregame notes:
• The Steelers did some game-planning heading into their game against the Packers.
“We’re going through more of a preparation than we have other games,” Mike Tomlin said. “We’re working off cards and really looking at the opponent and working off their personality, so I expect that to be reflected in our play.”
He noted the Packers have many of the same coaches and players as they had in 2013 when the Steelers defeated the Packers 38-31 in Green Bay. The game-planning piece of this contest isn’t specific to the challenge of taking on the Packers. Tomlin wanted to see, as he said, which players “understands fundamental-rules football,” and “who can play above the line without game plan-specific things.”
That win over the Packers in 2013 was without Aaron Rodgers under center. Even game-planning for Rodgers typically leads to defensive losses.
• Lawrence Timmons, Josh Harris, Vince Williams and David Nelson will not play in this game. Timmons is the most notable, but Harris is slated to compete with Dri Archer for the team’s backup running back position during Le’Veon Bell’s suspension. The time he’s spent injured this preseason can’t be helping his stock in that regard. He suffered a foot injury on his second carry against the Jaguars, and hasn’t practice since.
Tomlin noted that Williams is close to being back from a hamstring injury he suffered before the Jaguars game, but isn’t 100 percent yet. Goodwin is a practice squad candidate, and will likely be competing with Tyler Murphy and Shakim Phillips for one, maybe two, practice squad receiver positions.
• Dan McCullers has missed a good chunk of time over the last two weeks. Tomlin noted he’ll be a “key, central piece” to the Steelers’ defensive line depth this season. He’s expected to play Sunday, his first action since the Hall of Fame game against the Vikings Aug. 9.
• The Ian Wild Experiment will continue Sunday. “Wild Thing” was moved from safety to inside linebacker over the second half of training camp due to injuries sustained by Timmons (toe, out Sunday), Williams (hamstring, out Sunday) and Jordan Zumwalt (waived/injured).
His position flexibility is a bonus, according to Tomlin, but it’s nothing they didn’t know about Wild when they signed him this offseason.
“He had a background in both areas,” Tomlin said. “The thing that was most intriguing about (Wild) is his special teams background. He’s a football player first, a position guy second.”
Wild was the fullback on the punt team during Robert Golden’s absence due to injury. Golden is back now, and Wild’s chances of making the 53-man roster aren’t great, but he’s a strong bet for the practice squad.
• This game was initially scheduled to be played at 8 p.m. ET, but ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball grabbed the Pirates/Giants game for their broadcast. Parking concerns compelled the Steelers and Packers to move their game to 1 p.m.
This is neither the first nor the last time an NFL game time will be changed due to an MLB game in the same city. Most notably, the Ravens won the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, but were forced to open the 2013 season on the road due to a scheduling conflict with the Orioles. They wouldn’t move their game that afternoon to accommodate the Ravens playing that night. Like the Steelers and Pirates, the Ravens and Orioles play short distances away from each other and they share parking amenities.
Instead, the Ravens travelled to Denver and were shellacked 49-27 by the Broncos.
In case you were wondering, Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park are approximately 30 miles away from each other, and the Red Sox do not play on Thursday, Sept. 10 — the NFL opener between the Steelers and Patriots.
Follow the game with Neal
Update 12:03 p.m.: The Packers announced their inactive list for the game: LBs Clay Matthews and Nick Perry, WRs Javess Bess and Jared Abberderis, CB Demetri Goodson, DB Kyle Sebetic, OT David Bakhtiari, DT Mike Daniels and TE Justin Perillo.
Tomlin noted C.J. Goodwin was not expected to play as of Friday, but he’s not on the team’s Will Not Play list. It’s confirmed Timmons, Williams, Harris and Nelson are out.
Recently signed linebacker L.J. Fort will wear No. 54, and he’s dressed after just two practices this week.
1:13: Green Bay won the toss and elected to kick the tar out of the Steelers’ defense on their opening drive. The Packers pulled off a 10-play, 80-yard drive in 5:06, scoring on a seven-yard run by Eddie Lacy.
The Steelers opened the game in a nickel defense, with Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt on the line. Jarvis Jones and Arthur Moats were on the outside with Sean Spence and Ryan Shazier inside. Shamarko Thomas and Mike Mitchell were the safeties, Antwon Blake, Cortez Allen and Will Gay were the corners.
The Packers were barely contested on the drive. A poor start for the Steelers, but a nice return by Dri Archer gives them decent field position on their opening drive.
1:31: The Steelers got a stop on first down, something that seems rare this preseason. That led to an incomplete pass, and perhaps the best defensive play this preseason.
James Harrison and Bud Dupree, in for Moats and Jones, both collapsed on the outside, and Spence came up the middle to pressure Rodgers. Harrison was credited with the sack and safety, and the Steelers pick up two points.
1:37: Maurkice Pouncey appeared to have his left ankle rolled over on a play. The center was down for a minute on the ground but walked off, limping, under his own power. There isn’t an update on his status right now, but Cody Wallace has replaced him.
Tomlin also said Chris Hubbard would get time at center in this game.
1:43: Pouncey left the field area on a cart. Shades of Week 1 of 2013 are coming back. The team confirmed he has a left ankle injury and is out for the remainder of the game.
1:52: Even without Pouncey, the Steelers kept their starters in at the beginning of the second quarter and marched down the field. A 7-play, 54-yard drive was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Markus Wheaton. After Garrett Hartley’s extra point, the Steelers take a 9-8 lead.
The key play was a 20-yard Roethlisberger to Wheaton reception across the middle. Ben shrugged off some early pressure, stepped in and drilled the throw down the middle.
It appears Roethlisberger’s day is over, as is Rodgers, as the Packers come on the field. Roethlisberger finished the day 11-of-14 with 100 yards and the touchdown to Wheaton.
After a nice throw from Scott Tolzien, Tuitt came up hobbled, favoring his left ankle. Not a great day for Heinz Field and left ankles, that may have been what Nelson injured as well.
It appears Cam Thomas entered the game for Tuitt, although L.T. Walton was out there for a play as well.
One play after that, Packers guard T.J. Lang was helped off the field. That’s four injured players before halftime, all are starters.
2:05: A left ankle injury is the diagnosis for Tuitt, he, like Pouncey, will not return to this game. The back-ups are in on offense.
2:24: Tolzien hit Richard Rogers on a 21-yard touchdown throw, capitalizing on a poor snap by Hubbard to Bruce Gradkowski that was recovered by the Packers. The score and subsequent two-point conversion gives the Packers a 16-9 lead.
Gradkowski becomes the latest injured Steeler. He’s questionable to return with a finger injury on his left hand. It appeared to occur during the fumbled snap.
2:56: Jones’s start was fairly close to his finish. On his first pass of the day, he lobbed a wounded duck toward Bryant, who was never close to a good position to catch the ball. It was intercepted, and the Packers converted it into a 55-yard field goal from Mason Crosby.
It’s likely the Internet and most social media applications exploded when Jones’s first pass was picked off, but with Gradkowski’s injury, and Tomlin’s insistence that Tyler Murphy’s use from here on out is as a receiver. There will also likely be cat-calls regarding the release of Tajh Boyd. Jones is the team’s third string quarterback, and that’s probably the case even if he throws another two interceptions.
3:12: A 54-yard pass from Jones to Sammie Coates set up a 46-yard field goal for Hartley, pulling the Steelers within a touchdown at 19-12.
Something happened with the coverage on Coates’s catch, but he got free outside and he got fast. A great route for him, doing a nice job of adjusting to an underthrown ball and making the play.
3:40: Coates would erase any good sentiment generated from the big catch by dropping a shallow crossing route in the fourth quarter. The few fans still remaining at Heinz Field booed lustily, he took a ripping on Twitter and didn’t look like he was taking it heroically.
3:50: Jones hit Murphy, who made a nifty off-balanced cut back to the outside to get in the end zone. It was a great catch capping off an otherwise ugly drive full of drops (three) and penalties (four between both teams). The Steelers went for two and failed to convert, leaving them down 19-18.
On one hand, going for two gives them some experience with it. Jones targeted Murphy again who nearly came up with a tough catch in traffic. On the other, many will be thankful for all but ensuring the game won’t go to overtime.
3:58: We’ll have to try to track Murphy down in a bit, but he’s played very well. An inspired Steelers’ offense survived multiple drops and a few poor throws to make it down the field into the end zone a second time. This time, Jones hit Shakim Phillips on a 20-yard strike in which Phillips went over the defender.
The Steelers took a 24-19 lead, and are well on their way to their first preseason victory.