Still plenty at stake for Steelers against Panthers
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff still have some decisions to make on defense ahead of Saturday’s deadline for final roster cutdowns.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks with offensive coordinator Todd Haley Tuesday during practice.
PITTSBURGH – The starters for both teams might not see a lot of playing time – if any – but that doesn’t mean that tonight’s preseason finale between the Steelers and Carolina Panthers at Heinz Field is meaningless.
For players hoping to make one last positive impression on the coaching staff before final cutdowns are due by 4 p.m. Saturday, it might be the most important final exam of their lives.
“This opportunity is weighted a little differently,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “It is valued more than others, because there is a certain finality with this opportunity. Guys who are capable of absorbing that reality and performing in the midst of it, there is a little window into maybe how they will perform under the pressure that the NFL provides. We don’t hide from that. We don’t always try to make them feel good about it. It’s just a necessary part of the process.”
Tomlin was particularly unhappy with the performance of his team’s defense last Saturday in a 43-19 loss at Buffalo, a game in which the Bills had just three incomplete passes and rolled up 542 total yards – mostly against reserves or guys fighting for roster spots.
He wants to see which players bounce back from that performance.
“If they don’t, then we know how that story ends,” Tomlin said.
While there won’t be a lot of starters playing, there are some key backup positions still in play.
One such spot would be the competition for the nickel cornerback spot between incumbent Antwon Blake and newcomer Brandon Boykin, who was acquired in a training camp trade with Philadelphia.
Both should see plenty of playing time against the Panthers as Tomlin attempts to discern which will be the better fit as the third cornerback behind starters William Gay and Cortez Allen.
Blake has made 12 tackles – second on the team – this preseason and has one pass defensed. Boykin has five tackles and two pass defenses, one of which was a dropped interception against the Bills off a tipped ball.
“I’m trying to forget it,” said Boykin, who finished tied for second in the NFL with six interceptions in 2013. “I had my mind made up that I was going to score. I was thinking about that before I caught it. It’s a lesson learned. It definitely won’t happen again. That was a really good opportunity. You don’t get a chance to get into the end zone often. I’m just going to try to capitalize on that the next time.”
Boykin doesn’t mind a little extra playing time in what will be the Steelers’ fifth preseason game.
”I need the work. I need to continue to get comfortable in this defense,” said Boykin. “I can’t afford to skip anything, let alone the rest of the team. We’ve got a new defense, a lot of new pieces. I don’t think anybody’s looking ahead.”
The competition between Blake and Boykin will be one to watch. So, too, will that between returning punter Brad Wing and Jordan Berry. Both players have kicked the ball well in the preseason. Berry is averaging 49.5 yards on 14 punts including a 78-yarder from his own end zone against the Bills. Wing is at 49.1 yards per punt on 11 attempts.
The game also will be the first for Josh Scobee, the Steelers’ third placekicker of the preseason. Scobee was acquired earlier this week from Jacksonville for a sixth-round draft pick after both Shaun Suisham and Garrett Hartley were placed on injured reserve because of injuries.
Veteran quarterback Michael Vick is expected to start in place of Ben Roethlisberger. Vick, signed last week, completed four of five passes against the Bills for 106 yards.
“It was good,” said Vick, who will be relieved by Landry Jones. “It gave me confidence to keep going and keep pushing.”
We’ll see if that’s the case for everyone as the Steelers wrap up their longest preseason since 2007.
“It’s the last opportunity for many men to state a case for themselves, to be a part of this thing, or to define their roles as we move forward,” said Tomlin.
The Steelers on Wednesday hosted veteran defensive tackle Phil Taylor, who was released Tuesday by the Browns. … This will mark the 13th consecutive year the Steelers and Panthers have met in the preseason finale.