PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Neither quarterback did much after shining in the preseason opener, but Drew Allar had the best pass of the game as the Jets beat the Steelers 17-0 in the second preseason game.
Breaking down Will Howard and Allar’s drives, offensive line movement, Elandon Roberts shows out, kick unit starters and other notes.
Will Howard 2 interceptions in 1st half
Throw of the game
Second down and 8, Allar held onto the ball, drifted to his left to avoid pressure and lobbed a pass 38 yards downfield and tight end Lake McRee caught it and kept his second foot in by an inch for the biggest offensive play of the game for the Steelers.
Drew Allar drives
- 1st drive-Allar scrambled twice for nine yards and threw an incompletion on 4th and 6
- 2nd drive-Allar scrambled to his left and floated one down the left sideline for McRee and a 38-yard reception. Allar was sacked on 3rd down and the Steelers missed a field goal.
- 3rd drive-3 and out, Allar missed Max Hurleman on 3rd and 17, even if complete, a holding call on Brock Hoffman would have negated the gain
- 4th drive-Kaleb Johnson had 23 combined yards including a 9-yard short pass from Allar. Allar made a perfect throw to Joaquin Davis on an out on 3rd down, but it was dropped. It would have been short of the first down.
- 5th drive-3 and out as Allar was sacked on 1st down and missed on a 3rd down pass on a square in to Jakobie Keeney-James
- 6th drive-3 and out as Allar threw a trio of incomplete passes although a second down skinny pass to McRee was dropped.
- 7th drive-Allar completedfive passes on the final drive, including completions of 15 and 17 yards beforethe fourth down pass went incomplete
O-line
The offensive line started the same it has since the first days of OTAs in the spring with, left to right, Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook.
Broderick Jones came in at right tackle in the second series with Brock Hoffman at right guard. Anderson and Cook returned for the next series after Jones gave up a sack on third down. Jones played both right and left tackle
Kickoff 1st teamers
It’s a way to figure out which players might have an edge in position battles, who played on the first team kickoff and kickoff return teams.
Kickoff
Carson Bruener, Riley Nowakowski, Ben Skowronek, Asante Samuel, Junior, Travis Homer, Jack Sawyer, Max Hurleman, Eli Heidenreich, Cole Holcomb, Rayshawn Jenkins
Kick return
Bruener, Pat Freiermuth, Skowronek, Sawyer, Holcomb, Robert Tonyan, Homer, Nowakowski, Heidenreich, Robert Spears-Jennings, Kaden Wetjen
On punt coverage, rookie Robert Spears-Jennings drew a clipping penalty as a gunner, Homer remains the personal protector.
On punt return, Wetjen fumbled, but the Jets player trying to recover the ball didn’t get both feet in bounds so the Steelers retained possession. Wetjen would avoid a fair catch for a 13-yard punt return at 4:13 of the third quarter.
Notes
- Kaleb Johnson 10 carries for 39 yards (leading Steelers rusher)
- Jack Sawyer had a sack of Cade Klubnik for a loss of 7 yards
- Carson Bruener came free up the middle for a sack of Klubnik for -12 yards
- DeShon Elliott led the starters on defense with 4 tackles
- Spears-Jennings had a hard hit pass breakup early in the third
- Punter Cameron Johnston averaged 50.5 yards a kick pinning one inside the 20
- LB Elandon Roberts had an open field tackle stop on a Jets 4th down attempt to force a change of possession. Later in the 3rd, Roberts would make a stop to force a 4th down. Roberts had 5 tackles in limited play
- Laith Marjan, rookie kicker from Kansas, missed a 44-yard FG midway through the third quarter
Did not play
Most of the starters at least got a little work, here were those who didn’t play (not including those on the Physically Unable to Perform list)
Offense
- Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Max Iheanachor
Defense
- TJ Watt, Cam Heyward, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Daylen Everette
Final preseason game
Steelers go to the new Bills stadium to end the preseason Thursday night at 7p on KDKA-TV.
Key moments from the Steelers 2nd preseason game
Key moments from the Steelers 2nd preseason game
