The Pittsburgh Steelers officially ushered in the Mike McCarthy era Thursday night with a 28-9 exhibition win over the Green Bay Packers. Preseason football isn’t necessarily a barometer for regular-season success, but the Steelers had some encouraging moments in their first preseason game. There were also some less-than-ideal developments throughout the contest.
The Steelers got a good look at their young quarterbacks, depth in the secondary, and wide receiver competition. In McCarthy’s first preseason game, there were plenty of positives and negatives to take away. Here are some of the biggest ones.
Good: Asante Samuel Jr.
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Samuel played lockdown cornerback both in the slot and on the boundary. He only played a couple of series, but he continued the strong momentum he built during training camp. Samuel is making it increasingly difficult to envision this defense without him playing a regular role.
Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr. are still working their way back from the PUP list. Getting Samuel on the field consistently once both players return could be a challenge, but Thursday’s performance made it clear his strong training camp was no fluke.
Not-So-Good: Special Teams
Special teams were littered with penalties early and often. It was not pretty. One penalty kept the Packers’ opening drive alive, while a couple of others backed the offense up to start its first drive.
That was just on special teams, too. Expect special teams coordinator Danny Crossman to address the issues. It was not an ideal start for the unit in its first preseason game.
Not-So-Good: Penalties
Speaking of penalties, all three phases of the team dealt with laundry. Most of the penalties were costly, too, whether they took points off the board, changed field position, or extended Packers drives.
McCarthy and his staff will need to stress the importance of discipline during film review. Several of the penalties were relatively avoidable, and the personal fouls in particular were not a pleasant sight.
Good: Germie Bernard
Bernard had a couple of nice catches and quickly emerged as the wide receiver to watch early in the game. At least in the battle with Roman Wilson for more snaps as the third receiver, Bernard made a strong case for himself. He had an excellent debut.
Bernard caught four of five targets for 51 yards in his first live snaps for the Steelers. His best play of the evening came on a 25-yard catch and run. He showed why he has drawn comparisons to a previous Aaron Rodgers target.
Not-So-Good: Starting Offensive Tackles
It wasn’t an ideal start for Troy Fautanu and Dylan Cook. It wasn’t necessarily a disaster, either. Both tackles were relatively steady, but each had a couple of rough snaps that stood out.
Good: Ben Skowronek
Skowronek isn’t just a run blocker or special teams ace. He also had a strong showing during his offensive snaps. In a situation where Brandon Smith may have been putting some pressure on him, Skowronek made several excellent plays.
Both of his first-half receptions, which totaled 36 yards, came on possession downs to keep the chains moving. His most impressive catch came from Will Howard on a fourth-and-inches during the first half’s two-minute drill.
Good: Kaden Wetjen
Wetjen didn’t have explosive returns, but he did have an explosive 74-yard catch and run. That’s exactly what the Steelers have been banking on since selecting him.
Wetjen is extremely shifty and can display a major burst of speed. Both traits were on full display Thursday night, and he also got open for a red-zone touchdown. Having two rookie receivers deliver standout performances is exactly what the Steelers want to see.
