It would be a little too early to think the Steelers will be perfectly fine without Ben Roethlisberger, perhaps even a bit unwise.
It was just one preseason game against a team that traveled 2,125 miles and has discarded most of its stars like five-day-old pork chops.
But it might be prudent to pay close attention to what all three quarterbacks — Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett — did in the opening preseason victory against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night. It's certainly cause for encouragement.
Each of the quarterbacks posted a rating over 100. And each produced a touchdown on their opening series, a good sign for an offense that started slower than any team in the NFL in 2021.
"The whole first group did a good job of getting some points on the board, leading the charge and getting the momentum where you want it to be," Rudolph said. "We all followed suit."
Consider:
Trubisky's first drive as a Steelers quarterback ended with a touchdown pass that showcased why the Steelers coveted his mobility in free agency. He had a 126.8 rating.
Rudolph threw a perfect 26-yard touchdown strike to rookie George Pickens on his first series and orchestrated a 17-play drive that resulted in a field goal on the second. He had a 100.1 rating.
Pickett made his debut in the stadium where he became a Heisman Trophy finalist by completing all five passes for 33 yards and a touchdown on his opening drive in the third quarter, not to mention a successful two-point conversion pass. He had a 132.6 rating.
However, none of what took place against the Seahawks changes anything with the quarterback order — at least, not now.
Pickett will continue to get the bulk of playing time in the preseason in an attempt to expedite his development and give the coaches more time evaluate his progress. It is not unreasonable to think he will start the final preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 28, but only if coach Mike Tomlin is comfortable with Trubisky's command of the offense at that point.
Meantime, everyone was enjoying what Pickett did in his first time in a Steelers uniform, throwing two touchdowns, including the game-winner with three seconds remaining. Even the players.
"It was awesome," Trubisky said. "I told him before the game, you always remember your first preseason game. They all kind of blend together after that, but I told him it's going to be a memorable one. We finished strong as a group, and you've got to be happy for him."
'A lot of potential' for Pickens
At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Pickens has shown a repeated ability to do something Chase Claypool, at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, has struggled to do — high-point the ball and make contested catches on the sidelines.
It's all about spatial awareness — knowing your position along the sideline — and having the body control to make the catch and keep your feet inbounds. It also helps that Pickens tracks the ball as though he has an internal GPS device, even after a bobble or deflection.
"We've seen that — the combat catch, the high-point catch, the 50-50 shot, and he makes those plays," said Rudolph, who connected twice with Pickens for 34 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown in the deepest right corner of the end zone. "He's a young player, he has a lot of potential, he's already done well. I think he's going to continue to fine-tune the little things. We're excited about him."
Claypool has not always taken advantage of his size in similar situations, many times falling backward as though he is doing the Fosbury Flop when trying to make a catch along the sideline. That negates the mismatch he has over many defensive backs.
Rudolph deserves better
Tomlin made a point to start his postgame news conference thanking the 48,197 fans who attended the preseason opener, saying, "They were really into it ... creating the type of atmosphere that we desire here."
Perhaps, but they are not to be applauded for the way they treated Rudolph after he was stripped of the ball and recovered his own fumble on his very first play of the game. A murmur with detectable booing emanated from the crowd.
Granted, a large majority of people at Acrisure Stadium wanted to see Pickett, which was palpably evident when he entered the game and threw a touchdown on his very first series in the third quarter. But Rudolph atoned for the fumble two plays later with a dime to Pickens on the 26-yard touchdown.
McFarland showing improvement
It was just one preseason game, but Anthony McFarland looked little like the running back who had trouble finding holes in the NFL and more like the player the Steelers envisioned when they drafted him on the fourth round in 2019.
McFarland played 17 snaps against the Seahawks and got a chance to be the feature back with Najee Harris and Benny Snell being held out because of injuries. He responded with seven carries for 56 yards that included a 24-yard run on third-and-1 on the opening scoring drive.
Along with undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren, who had 34 yards on six carries and also caught a 3-yard touchdown from Pickett, the depth behind Harris doesn't look so suspect all of a sudden.
"Those backs are making some great plays in open space," Trubisky said. "[McFarland], he was running hard. He's tough to bring down. He's so quick and shifty, it's fun to watch him with the ball in his hands."
New vantage point for DC Austin
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spent his first game in his new position in a familiar spot — watching from the coaches booth above the field.
That, though, will change when the Steelers play their second preseason game in Jacksonville. He will be on the sidelines, seeing what that vantage point is like before he and coach Mike Tomlin decide where he will be when the regular season starts.
Austin always sat in the coaches booth for the three years he was the team's senior defensive assistant/secondary coach, in part because he also served as the "replay coach" who would advise Tomlin about official challenges. But the defensive coordinator has typically been on the field for the Steelers, going back to Dick LeBeau and including Keith Butler.
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada spent his first season on the job calling plays from the coaches booth, even though Ben Roethlisberger preferred having him on the sidelines.
