PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Buffalo was a productive dance partner, which may never again be a phrase used to describe practicing against another NFL team. Mike Tomlin said they were able to get different looks against a different Buffalo scheme Thursday inside Acrisure Stadium. He also announced Russell Wilson will start against the Bills in the game on Saturday.
The quarterback will play in his first game with the Steelers after working as the starter during the final week of training camp. Tomlin said Wilson had a couple of really good days and with each passing day the calf issue is less of an issue.
Wilson and the starters are scheduled to play four series, Tomlin noted that could change base on productivity. He called the four series the template in which they work.
“We are looking for more cleanliness from last time from a penalty standpoint, particularly pre-snap things,” Tomlin said. “Some fundamental things, C/Q (center/quarterback) exchanges. That’s Steelers beating Steelers, we are not into that. We are looking to clean that stuff up.”
Tomlin said he expects his team to be better in possession down football and hinted that they would game plan more for the Bills than they did against Houston, admitting before that game they would do little opponent prep. He made it a point to not just say possession down offense, but defense as well.
The area they really want to improve is on special teams. Tomlin used the phrase of being JV on kick units against the Texans. He said the errors were numerous from a bad snap, to a muffed punt, penalty, net punting wasn’t good enough. He said a lot of it needs ‘dramatic improvement’.
Camp injuries
Tomlin alluded to a number of players dealing with camp injuries (meaning nothing series, but might keep them out of the game on Saturday) as center Nate Herbig, Donte Jackson, TJ Watt, Chris Boswell (day off), Cam Heyward, Alex Highsmith did not do team drills. Tomlin said all who are healthy will play, but they will wait until the 11th hour to decide on the playing status of a few. We already knew tackle Troy Fautanu was out and receiver Roman Wilson has not dressed for a practice.
“The sand is starting to run through the hourglass in terms of us giving ourselves up and carving a role for ourselves in this thing,” Tomlin said. “These in-stadium opportunities are limited and weighted differently. As we go into our second stadium and last one here in Pittsburgh, we think it’s important to have an all-in mentality.”
Practice Notes
· Russell Wilson was the better quarterback, more consistent than Justin Fields, although Fields used his feet for big plays a couple of times including a 31-yard TD run on a two-minute drill (actually 1:01 on the clock starting around the opponents’ 45-yard line and Fields scored with about 25 seconds left).
· Former Pitt stars Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson returned to Acrisure Stadium in a practice capacity for the first time since their Panther days. Also back was QB Mitch Tribusky, who spent the last couple of years with the Steelers.
· Zach Frazier started at center with the first team offensive line with Herbig out. Dan Moore, Junior at left tackle and Broderick Jones at right.
· There was a little scrum between backup 11-on-11 teams after Dorian Williams knocked down a Justin Fields pass at the line. There was another on special teams involving former Bills linebacker Tyler Matakevich, which isn’t a surprise.
· TE Darnell Washington made a couple of nice catches during one-on-one drills.
7 Shots
Thursday with the Steelers first-team offense against the Bills defense
· Russell Wilson stepped on attempted pitch
· Wilson scrambled for TD threw a diving catch to George Pickens
· WIlson play action to Dez Fitzpatrick for a TD
· Jaylen Warren handoff stuffed left-side
· Justin Fields designed run TD right side
· Fields rolled right and threw a TD to Cordarrelle Patterson