Pump the Brakes? Or Get Your Roll On?
Over the last 36-48 hours or so, Steelers' fans have argued about just how much stock to put in the results they're seen so far.
Through two preseason games and three drives for the Kenny Pickett-led Pittsburgh Steelers' first team offense, 194 yards and three touchdowns have been generated on just 17 plays. That 11.41 yards per play average is an absurd number that would dwarf every offense in the history of the National Football League if it were protracted out over a full regular season.
In fact, the two most prolific offenses in NFL history when measured by yards per play, the 2000 St. Louis Rams "Greatest Show on Turf" and the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs of Patrick Mahomes' 50-TD MVP season, averaged 6.98 and 6.84 yards/play, respectively.
The easy argument for slowing our roll and maintaining reasonable expectations starts with a small sample size, ends with the fact that this is preseason we're talking about, and doesn't need much more justification.
The converse to that argument is that even given all the qualifiers, this is rarefied air. Three times in the last four seasons, the Steelers offense failed to even generate five yards per play, and the three times in franchise history they eclipsed six yards per play all involved Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.
Even if they may not be wholly reflective of what may come in the regular season, it's ok to get excited about preseason results if they're this far and away better than any kind of realistic expectation.
That Buffalo Offense Looked Like Billshut
Again, it's just a preseason game, and the sample size is even smaller than the offense's, but the Steelers' first team defense held the Buffalo first team offense to just 36 yards on 15 plays. (2.4 yards/play for those looking to do the same math we just did above.) And three of those plays were without T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Patrick Peterson, and Cam Heyward on the field.
Maybe it's on Josh Allen and the Bills for looking so anemic.
Maybe it's on the Steelers' D.
More than likely, it's a bit of both.
But it's another sign that things may be even better than even the biggest Steelers fans believe it could be.
Sunday Skenesday
Speaking of elite results in small sample sizes, the Paul Skenes magic continued in Bradenton yesterday, as he made his second start for the Single-A Marauders, striking out two while yielding no hits or walks in two innings of work.
In three outings between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates and the Marauders, Skenes has given up just one hit in four innings, and once again in his most recent start topped out at 98 mph.
As outlined late last week, it's very possible, if not probable, that this year's first over all draft pick could be in Pittsburgh by the end of September.
Yes, 'Skivvy' Is a Thing
Well-known athletes have always complimented Pittsburghers on their ability to let them live their everyday lives without too much distraction out in public.
Hopefully, Livvy Dunne will get to experience that when Skenes is promoted to the Majors, as the pitcher confirmed to Jason Mackey that the two are, in fact, dating.
The 'ship name is simple, folks: Skenes + Livvy = Skivvy
You're welcome.
