Bright Spots??

[AkronSteel]

It was a pretty lackluster performance for the Black and Gold tonight but there were a few guys that stood out to me. It was really a glorified scrimmage so I won't put to much stock in the overall performance but it was nice to see these guys have solid games.

Isaac Redman: He showed some pretty good vision and leg drive. He had a couple of really nice cuts and overall a pretty solid performance. He runs with such great pad level. He looks like he will be able to lighten the load on Mendy this season. It will be a true benefit down the stretch.

Antonio Brown: He looked very nice, he was able to stretch the field and ran some pretty solid routes from what I could see on the broadcast. He also was open on a deep pattern in the 2nd quarter and Lefty just missed him. The post pattern he ran against Josh Wilson was very nice.

Marcus Gilbert: The guy had a pretty nice performance in his first pro outing. He looks like he could at least some of the depth problems on the OL. He has some pretty nice feet and a good punch. He seemed like he was getting some pretty good movement in the run game as well. Gilbert, Legursky, and Foster will provide the team with some versatile backup offensive lineman on gamedays!

Cameron Heyward: The guy looks like he will eventually be ever bit the worth of a 1st round draft pick. He looks strong and quick. He and Hood should give the Steelers a nice set of bookends for the next decade or so. Very happy with his initial performance.

Jason Worilds/Stevenson Sylvester: These two men look like that will be solid contributors on the defense at the LB position. They could eventually step in next to Timmons and Woodley and Steelers will probably be set at LB just like always for the next several years. I could see Farrior and Harrison being replaced sooner as opposed to later.

Keenan Lewis: I actually didn't mind how he performed tonight. I know that he looked sloppy in a couple of coverages, but he made some solid tackles and overall his coverage was not terrible. He was caught a couple of times with back shoulder passes which are hard to defend. I could see him looking a lot better when Lebeau actually blitzes a few times instead of the vanilla D that we saw tonight.

Like I said, it was a pretty rough night overall but considering the squad has only been together for a just a short while and the Redskins played their starters for basically the entire first half, I'm overall not really that disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to see the team drive down against the first team Redskins D and score in the 2nd quarter.

[insanesteelersfan]

Tony Hills did well tonight.

[hawaiiansteel]

Tony Hills did well tonight.


as did backup NT Anthony Gray and both of our punters.

[insanesteelersfan]

Also, I thought Worilds was rather bad out there. Looked lost alot of the time, and not natural at all. As for the brighter spots, I agree Gray looked good. As did Ivy, and Bryant IMHO.

[hawaiiansteel]

NFL Preseason: The Good & The Bad From Steelers Vs. Redskins

By Pete Wilmoth - Contributor
August 12, 2011


The Good

Isaac Redman

Redman was terrific against Washington, rushing for 42 yards on just five carries (8.4 ypc). Most of Redman's production came on one powerful run where the second-year rusher spun through a cluster of defenders and took it down the sideline 22 yards for the score, Pittsburgh's only points of the evening. Redman had just 52 carries last year (4.8 ypc), but it's clear to anyone that he can play. The Steelers are really lucky to have him waiting in the wings in case Rashard Mendenhall's wheels fall off. Along with third-down specialist Mewelde Moore, Redman comprises one of the deeper backfields in the league.

Antonio Brown

With fellow second-year receiver Emmanuel Sanders rehabbing a foot injury, Brown had plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents. I don't want to want to get ahead of myself or anything -- it was just a preseason game, after all -- but Brown sure looked like a future NFL starter on Friday night. He made four grabs for 64 yards in limited action and would've had one more if not for a defensive pass interference penalty on a third-down hitch. Brown's routes were crisp, his hands were Velcro. He even had a great block downfield that helped spring Redman's long score. Assuming he keeps his head on straight, there's no reason this kid can't compete with Sanders in a year or two for the privelege of starting opposite Mike Wallace. And even if he only ends up third on Pittsburgh's depth chart, slot receiver is a crucial component in Bruce Arians' offensive scheme. Brown is bound to contribute for many years to come.

Cameron Heyward

The Steelers' rookie first-rounder didn't get a lot of quality looks at defensive end, but there was a lot to like about his performance, even if it was against second- and third-string Redskins. Heyward showed excellent power while controlling his gap, disrupting lanes, and blowing up running plays, as well as admirable hussle rushing the passer. Along with fellow first-round defensive end Ziggy Hood, Heyward is the future of Pittsburgh's defensive front -- and that'll come sooner, rather than later. Expect D!ck LeBeau to sprinkle Heyward into Pittsburgh's rotation up front, especially if old-timers Aaron Smith or Brett Keisel fall to injury.

http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsbur ... in/2124339 (http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-steelers/2011/8/12/2360508/nfl-preseason-washington-redskins-isaac-redman-santana-moss-cameron-heyward-antonio-brown-grossman/in/2124339)

[AkronSteel]

Ok....I stand corrected on Mr. Worilds. I appreciate the insight of others on this board for sure. I saw him have some pretty nice quickness on rushes early in the 1st quarter, but I didn't really pay too much attention to him in the run game. If the stats look as they do....then I guess he may not have played nearly as well as I thought. I was pretty disappointed with the run D early on, but I didn't put two and two together, and realize that Worilds was getting blown up on a consistent basis!!! Thanks for setting me straight on that one guys!!!

[hawaiiansteel]

Defensive end Heyward impressive in first appearance

Saturday, August 13, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


LANDOVER, Md. -- Defensive line coach John Mitchell probably would rather have a tax audit than pronounce a rookie ready to play in the National Football League.

And that probably isn't going to change anytime soon, either, even if the rookie happens to be the team's No. 1 draft choice.

Mitchell acknowledged earlier this week that defensive end Cameron Heyward, the Steelers' No. 1 draft choice from Ohio State, was "right where a rookie should be -- trying to learn everything" after two weeks of training camp. But he also said he will have to "wait and see" how Heyward performs in a game.

Mitchell got a pretty good indication in a 16-7 preseason loss Friday night to the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field -- and it might cause him to alter his assessment.

Even if Heyward's assessment of his performance wasn't very good.

"Terrible," Heyward said when asked how he played in his first NFL preseason game. "Individually, not good at all. I thought I screwed up a couple plays. I expect a lot out of myself."

Heyward might be overly hard on himself.

Like he has been at training camp, Heyward was one of the standouts for the opening preseason game, playing most of the first half on a line with Ziggy Hood and staying on the field until the end of the third quarter. And he looked very comfortable doing it.

Heyward finished with three unassisted tackles, one quarterback hurry and showed his athleticism by running down the line and stepping over blocks. What's more, he appeared to do a good job getting a push and disrupting plays in the backfield.

On one play in the second quarter, he pushed starting guard Kory Lichtensteiger back into the pocket and altered a pass by quarterback Rex Grossman. On another, he fought through a block and threw running back Roy Helu to the turf for no gain.

"I had chances to make a lot of plays, and I didn't take advantage of it," Heyward said.

If Heyward looked comfortable, it's not surprising. Ohio State defensive coaches often visit with defensive coordinator D!ck LeBeau -- a Buckeyes alumnus -- during the offseason to study his 3-4 defense. Many of the schemes the Buckeyes use are similar to what the Steelers employ.

Because of that, Heyward already has shown a good understanding of his assignments and how to play the two-gap style the Steelers prefer. That probably has put him ahead of Mitchell's schedule.

The Steelers planned to use him this year a lot like they employed No. 1 pick Ziggy Hood in 2009 -- giving him a handful of snaps each game in the regular season to get him acclimated to the defense and the speed of the game.

But, because of the way he has assimilated his role and looked comfortable on the field, Heyward possibly could see even more playing time at defensive end in the regular season.

"I'm not comfortable at all," Heyward said. "I still have a lot to learn. But I get to learn from guys like Ziggy Hood, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. They have been very supportive and show me what I need to learn."

Maybe Heyward, not Mitchell, is the critical one.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11225/1167228-66.stm
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11225/11 ... z1Use7HvAx (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11225/1167228-66.stm#ixzz1Use7HvAx)

[jj28west]

On the little I focused on Worilds it seemed as if he is not strong at the point of attack and OL's will try to ride him on the outside as he tries to get by with his quick move.

Maybe he is still learning to add more to his game.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I've been hearing what a great camp Chris Scott and Tyler Grisham have been having...but I wasn't particularly impressed by the play of either of them last night.

[Keyplay1]

Akron Steel said "Jason Worilds/Stevenson Sylvester: These two men look like that will be solid contributors on the defense at the LB position. They could eventually step in next to Timmons and Woodley and Steelers will probably be set at LB just like always for the next several years. I could see Farrior and Harrison being replaced sooner as opposed to later.

Keenan Lewis: I actually didn't mind how he performed tonight. I know that he looked sloppy in a couple of coverages, but he made some solid tackles and overall his coverage was not terrible. He was caught a couple of times with back shoulder passes which are hard to defend. I could see him looking a lot better when Lebeau actually blitzes a few times instead of the vanilla D that we saw tonight.

Like I said, it was a pretty rough night overall but considering the squad has only been together for a just a short while and the Redskins played their starters for basically the entire first half, I'm overall not really that disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised to see the team drive down against the first team Redskins D and score in the 2nd quarter.

I agreed with all of your other picks, but I did not think any of the final three you mentioned played particularly well at all. AAMOF they were disappointing to me, although Sylvester did show some aggression.

Since I focused primarily on the play of the R's and 2 yr players, the players that stood out for me were Mortty Ivy, Anthony Gray 2nd year player Antonio Brown and I thought 1st yr player Donovan Warren was worth taking another look at. He seemed to improve as the game went on. This surprised me since I did not notice him last TC.

NOTE: See the thread "BILLICK JUST SAID" post #8 for a more detailed explanation of the selections.

[Steelerphile]

Tony Hills did well tonight.

Hills gets ripped on this site a lot so not a lot of others will chime in on this sentiment. I thought he looked about as good as any of their O-lineman also. He also played guard so it shows he is increasing his positional flexibility. He has worked on himself in the offseason. Came in stronger and with 13% bodyfat, whereas Max Starks came back with 40% body fat, but the fans still clamor for Starks.

[winwithd]

I thought Sepulveda looked good. Mortty Ivy looked better than Sylvester. And Donovan Warren looked like the best DB. I was thrilled with the way AB played and Heyward looked like he could be a good one. Wallace and Brown both were able to get behind the Washington starters in the first half but Ben and Byron missed them. Hopefully that is just a timing thing and will improve. Redman and Moore looked good. Dwyer looks like a dud. And Battle was horrific, 4 drops. I'd be shocked if he makes it. I think Sweed moved up just because Battle was so bad. Sweed gets killed because he's dropped three in his career and Battle dropped four in one night.

[NJ-STEELER]

hills played pretty well in the preseason last year too

[Oviedo]

Ok....I stand corrected on Mr. Worilds. I appreciate the insight of others on this board for sure. I saw him have some pretty nice quickness on rushes early in the 1st quarter, but I didn't really pay too much attention to him in the run game. If the stats look as they do....then I guess he may not have played nearly as well as I thought. I was pretty disappointed with the run D early on, but I didn't put two and two together, and realize that Worilds was getting blown up on a consistent basis!!! Thanks for setting me straight on that one guys!!!

The whole defense sucked.

I'm sure we will hear the same nonsense starting for Worilds that he is "soft against the run." We heard the same about Timmons too and the "experts" were proven wrong about that also.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I thought 1st yr player Donovan Warren was worth taking another look at. He seemed to improve as the game went on. This surprised me since I did not notice him last TC.

That's probably because he was in the Jets' training camp last year.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

I think Sweed moved up just because Battle was so bad. Sweed gets killed because he's dropped three in his career and Battle dropped four in one night.

Sweed can't even seem to get on the field.

[NJ-STEELER]

I'm hoping cromartie smith pushes Allen off the roster

He looked pretty good last nite

[hawaiiansteel]

By Ed Bouchette

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August 13. 2011

Two players who seem more than ready to start the season are backups. One is halfback Isaac Redman, who has grown bigger both physically and in the offense during his third training camp. Redman, who weighs a sculpted 240 pounds now, ran 22 yards for a touchdown and the Steelers only score in the first half. He finished the half with 42 yards on five carries and called it a day, a good one.

“I think I played pretty well,'' Redman said.

Rookie defensive end Cameron Heyward made his pro debut a memorable one, making his presence known often. On one play he pushed starting guard Kory Lichtensteiger back into quarterback Rex Grossman, who threw incomplete because of it. On another, he held off a tackle's block and tackled the runner in the backfield.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/inde ... ver-posted (http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/111194-ed-here-is-updated-steelers-story-never-posted)

[flippy]

Flippy's Top Performers:

1. Antonio Brown - I'm now on record with an off the wall prediction - Brown is going to be better than Wallace. Maybe not this year, but soon. This kid is going to make the biggest jump of anyone on the roster. I'm so impressed with him right now, I want our base set to be 3 WRs with Ward, Wallace, and Brown as the starters. I know it's only the preseason, but this kid's explosiveness puts the fear of God in a defense. And that's going to add a dimension to this offense and make it easier for Hines, Wallace, Miller, and Mendy.

2. Redman - I'm impressed every carry this kid gets. If we're gonna pound the rock, Redman's going to get an extra yard more on every chance than any other back including Mendy. Sure Mendy will have more big runs, but Redman will give us consistency. Even with mediocre blocking up front. The talent has been obvious since his first preseason carry his rookie season. The only question anyone can honestly ask about Redman is could he carry the ball 20-25 times a game? Who knows, but lets start with getting him 10 touches a game.

3. Sly - I can't help noticing this guy every time he's on the field. He's a disrupter. There's just something about him that makes me want to get him on the field now. Sorry Farrior, but Sly has splash play written all over him and you don't. I love Farrior and think he's a great leader, but we need to figure out how to get Sly in the rotation this year.

4. Heyward - He looks ready to contribute even though our system takes forever for young linemen to figure out. Guess running in a similar system @ OSU has helped. This kid looks like a natural. And then after the game, all he talks about is the mistakes he made. I have a feeling we're gonna be looking back at Smitty and Keisel like they were mediocre 3-4 ends compared to Heyward. Our defense is stacked in the front 7. Seeing how natural Heyward looks on the field, we're gonna continue our SuperBowl runs after some of the older players retire. We're so loaded with talent in the defensive front 7.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm hoping cromartie smith pushes Allen off the roster

He looked pretty good last nite

:Agree

I was looking forward to what Will Allen could provide when we signed him, but since then Mundy has taken over the backup role at both safety positions, while Allen seems to play solely on special teams. He's like the defensive version of Arnaz Battle. Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith is young, has good size, and has shown some progress. I'll be rooting for the former UDFA DMCS to bump Allen off the roster if he continues to progress throughout the preseason.

[Chadman]

From memory Donovan Warren was a projected 2nd/3rd round draft pick wasn't he? Then he ran sun dial timed speed in his 40 & dropped off the radar.

His college career suggested he could play, despite the his speed. Maybe LeBeau's 10 yard cushion DB defence would suit Warren? Keeps the play in front of him.

Or perhaps he has FS in his future?

Regardless- at this point, I don't care where they were drafted, or if they were not- if they can play & improve the team- put them in.

From what I have read, neither Cortez Allen or Crezdon Butler have done much in TC. If Warren performs above them- put him in.

If DCS outperforms ST Maven Will Allen- put him in.

There isn't much talent left in FA, so go with the best you got- regardless of reputation or financial investment.

[hawaiiansteel]

Brown is Digest Player of the Week

By Bob Labriola - Steelers Digest

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/313/102/108990196_crop_358x243.jpg?1313168692

ANTONIO BROWN

There wasn’t much to be excited about on either side of the ball last Friday night in FedEx Field, but one of the few standouts in a Steelers uniform was second-year pro Antonio Brown. With four catches for 64 yards, Brown was the Steelers leading receiver in their preseason opener, and two of those receptions for 50 yards came on the team’s only touchdown drive.

Brown is the Steelers Digest Player of the Week.

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/001/180/915/107543003_display_image.jpg?1313205294

Also considered were Isaac Redman, who finished with 42 yards on five carries and the team’s only touchdown on a nice 22-yard run in the second quarter; Daniel Sepulveda, who punted four times for a gross average of 51.0 yards and a net average of 46.3; and Cameron Heyward, who finished with three tackles and one pressure in his first professional outing.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/ ... a70619288c (http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Brown-is-Digest-Player-of-the-Week/c492ba53-544d-457b-a9cf-75a70619288c)