Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterbacks
- Ben Roethlisberger: 8/13, 63 yards, 1 TD
- Mason Rudolph: 6/9, 75 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
- Joshua Dobbs: 4/9, 79 yards, 1 INT | 5 carries, 10 yards
Ben Roethlisberger got his first preseason work as he played the first three drives tonight. He looked good, completing mostly short passes before finding Juju Smith-Schuster open in the end zone. Roethlisberger did seem to miss the timing on some of his earlier passes, but once he got into rhythm with his receivers, the Steelers marched down the field relatively easily. Mason Rudolph entered the game after that, tossing a 41-yard touchdown to James Washington on his first pass attempt. He did miss a throw pretty badly to Washington that resulted in an interception, but for the most part Rudolph was good and appears to be in the lead for the backup job here. Joshua Dobbs did a good job extending a few plays with his legs and had a few nice passes down the field. If the Steelers decide not to carry three quarterbacks, Dobbs should catch on somewhere else.
Running Backs
- James Conner: 5 carries, 41 yards | 2 receptions, 15 yards
- Jaylen Samuels: 4 carries, 16 yards | 2 receptions, 11 yards
- Tray Edmunds: 6 carries, 12 yards
James Conner got the majority of the first-team reps and performed really well. He had a nice 20-yard run to the right side where he got to the edge quickly, made a defender miss, and then accelerated up field. On another play he caught a short pass and made a defender miss with a nice juke move. Conner was also solid in pass protection; as long as he stays healthy, it seems like the plan is for him to be the every-down running back again this season. Jaylen Samuels took a few snaps with the starters, including catching a check-down from Roethlisberger on a two-point conversion play where Samuels slipped. He saw most of his work with the backups. He didn’t have any stand-out plays, but he will probably get a few touches a game in the regular season and is someone whose role is worth monitoring. Rookie Benny Snell missed this game, missing an opportunity to push for more of a role come the regular season.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Juju Smith-Schuster: 4 receptions, 37 yards, 1 TD
- James Washington: 1 reception, 41 yards, 1 TD
- Donte Moncrief: 2 receptions, 11 yards
- Eli Rogers: 1 reception, 11 yards
- Brandon Reilly: 2 receptions, 41 yards
Juju Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, and Eli Rogers were the starters tonight with James Washington coming in with the second-team. Juju looked good, easily beating single coverage for his touchdown reception and doing some damage on underneath routes. Washington continued to look impressive this preseason, making a nice catch on a deep pass from Mason Rudolph. It seems like Moncrief is still solidly ahead of him on the depth chart for the time being, but if Washington can carry this momentum into the regular season he should challenge for that spot sooner rather than later. Starting tight end Vance McDonald was targeted twice but wasn’t able to make either catch. Rookie Diontae Johnson, who had been pushing for Washington’s role in camp, missed tonight with a hip injury and probably will not have a consistent role to start the regular season.
Tennessee Titans
Quarterbacks
- Marcus Mariota: 0/3
- Ryan Tannehill: 6/9, 62 yards
- Logan Woodside: 11/15, 117 yards | 1 carry, 2 yards
It’s hard to judge Marcus Mariota too harshly for his performance tonight because his offensive line was terrible. Mariota was sacked for a safety, and the constant pressure he faced probably led to the decision to pull him early from this game. Ryan Tannehill came in and played with most of the other starters on offense, including starting receivers Corey Davis, Adam Humphries, and A.J. Brown. He had more success than Mariota, although he also had more help from the line. He also seemed to have good chemistry with the receivers. If Mariota struggles to start the season, or if his injury issues resurface, Tannehill has a good chance to take over the starting job and try to make his case for a contract extension at the end of the season. Neither player has value in one quarterback leagues at this point, but in deeper leagues this is a situation to monitor as both quarterbacks offer some rushing upside.
Running Backs
- Dion Lewis: 1 carry, 0 yards
- Jeremy McNichols: 9 carries, 43 yards
- Alex Barnes: 9 carries, 32 yards | 2 receptions, 5 yards
Primary running back Derrick Henry remains sidelined with an injury, so Dion Lewis got the start tonight. Still, he didn’t see much action. Jeremy McNichols was the next running back in, leaving briefly after a hard hit before returning. The former fifth-round pick has been a standout through preseason thus far and continued to look strong tonight. He runs with some power, and he showed some good burst tonight. If Henry’s injury lingers into the season, McNichols could challenge Lewis for snaps. With how much the Titans want to run, any running back that can get onto the field here could have value.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Corey Davis: 1 reception, 25 yards
- A.J. Brown: 1 reception, 10 yards
- Adam Humphries: 1 reception, 9 yards
- Kalif Raymond: 5 receptions, 58 yards
- Anthony Firkser: 2 receptions, 15 yards
There weren’t a lot of receptions to go around for the starters tonight as Corey Davis, A.J. Brown, and Adam Humphries combined for just three receptions on seven targets. Brown fumbled after his only reception while trying to fight for extra yards, but fortunately he was able to fall on the ball. Davis had a nice double move to get open down the sideline, but it was a tight window and Marcus Mariota wasn’t able to deliver the pass. If the offensive line struggles from tonight carry into the regular season, it will be hard for Davis to take advantage of those types of routes. With the additions of Brown and Humphries, as well as a healthy Delanie Walker, Davis stands to lose a lot of the volume he had last year. This offense just did not look dangerous passing the ball tonight, and it would be hard for Davis to make up for that lost volume with efficiency.
— Dan Adams