It lasted just short of three hours and had a little something for everyone. Whether you wanted to feel optimistic or pessimistic, or encouraged or discouraged, or even smug. It was all in there. And the best or worst part of it all – again depending upon your perspective – was the 24-17 final score that favored the Detroit Lions didn’t count in the standings because it still was part of the preseason.
OK, let’s begin with something for the optimists.
The Steelers got a chance to see their first-team offense resemble the unit that had been having such good practices at Saint Vincent College.
Russell Wilson quarterbacked the offense for 5 plays that covered 60 yards and ended with a 31-yard touchdown run by Cordarelle Patterson (more on him later), and included a third-and-11 conversion thanks to a 32-yard down-the-field pass to George Pickens perfectly delivered and placed toward the sideline but not too far as to allow the receiver to get his feet in-bounds easily. It was the exact kind of throw-and-catch so often seen in Latrobe but totally absent from the first two preseason games.
“We just needed results that are indicative of how we’ve worked,” said Coach Mike Tomlin.
Patterson has been presenting himself as an interesting piece on the board, an option for Arthur Smith to incorporate into situations where he can do damage to opposing defenses. Since coming off the non-football injury list (hamstring), Patterson wears jersey No. 84 and was signed to return kicks, but hand him the ball and create a crease at the line of scrimmage – as LG Isaac Seumalo did on that first drive – and this 33-year-old still can stick his foot in the ground at top speed and make a defender look silly. If you don’t believe me, check the video highlights on Steelers.com, or maybe just ask first-year safety Brandon Joseph.
The Steelers defense didn’t have T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith or Cam Heyward in the lineup, but Nick Herbig is…
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