Observations from the Steelers/Giants preseason game

[mcmillenandwife]

I recorded the game last night so I could watch this morning. Didn't learn much from watching, but here are a few quick hits.

• Welcome back, Cam Heyward!!! Very disruptive. His return immediately improves our defense. Let's hope he can stay healthy this year. 
  
• Tuit and Hargrave both played well. Our D-line looks very solid.
  
• TJ Watt - Had 2 sacks early (the first when the QB stepped up and into him and the second on a blown assignment), had a nice pressure late and made a nice speed play around the edge on the RB to help stop the Giants on 4th and 2. That said, I though he got handled rather easily by Giants tackle Ereck Flowers and I also saw him get handled by the TE at least once. Switched to the opposite side in the 2nd quarter, and was handled pretty well by rotating tackles. 
  
• Arthur Moats: Nice performance. Multiple sacks, an INT, multiple pressures, run stops. Experience was a plus in this game.
  
• Dobbs: Pretty horrific at QB, but about what I expected. The INTs were just terrible. Nice pass on the TD to Hamilton, though. 
  
• Speaking of INTs, T Marcus Gilbert was beaten badly on the first INT and I put at least some of the blame on him. He looked SLOW at the snap.
  
• Waching CB Ross Cockrell left me with serious concerns - left guys WIIIIDE open several times in what appeared to be blown coverages, including once in the end zone that NY's QB never saw.
  
• WR Cobi Hamilton made a really nice catch on 43-yd pass, also a nice TD grab. Not sure there's room on the team for him, but hopefully we'll be able to keep him on the practice squad. 
  
• Chris Boswell = money. 
  
• Jerald Hawkins, awful game at OT. Turnstile. Lots to learn. 
  
• Rookie WR Canaan Severin, bad drop, see 'ya.
  
• Eli Rogers, nice one-handed grab, even if it was only for 1 yd.
  

[Chucktownsteeler]

My only hope for the preseason is no injuries. many of the players on both teams fromn last night's game wont be on a roster in September.

[mcmillenandwife]

My only hope for the preseason is no injuries. many of the players on both teams fromn last night's game wont be on a roster in September.

Agree. NO INJURIES!     

[Crash]

Just turn Watt and Dupree loose. DO NOT waste them in coverage.

Rush three DL's and those two at least every play. That still leaves you 6 guys to cover.

Just back to basics for this defense. I think the talent is there, I think the scheme they play in sucks.

Wade Phillips would have these guys playing like bloodthirsty lions looking to kill their prey.

[mcmillenandwife]

Just turn Watt and Dupree loose.  DO NOT waste them in coverage.  

Rush three DL's and those two at least every play.  That still leaves you 6 guys to cover.  

Just back to basics for this defense.  I think the talent is there, I think the scheme they play in sucks.  

Wade Phillips would have these guys playing like bloodthirsty lions looking to kill their prey.

I don't know how TJ Watt was in coverage in college, but he looked fairly decent vs. the Giants the few times I saw him in coverage.