Training Camp 8/14

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers Training Camp Nuggets: What you need to know from the 8/14 practice


Getting you caught up on another training camp practice, less than 5 days before their second preseason game.

by Kelly Anozie
Aug 15, 2017, 9:30am EDT

Heading into the final days of camp, today’s training camp session was without pads, which came as no surprise considering the level of physicality in the recent camp sessions. The storylines today included: a beloved player returning to action and making a statement, a player once praised by head coach Mike Tomlin released, and a camp phenom that continues to climb towards a spot on the 53-man roster.

Let’s go!

Roster Moves:

This afternoon, the Steelers announced that second year undrafted wide receiver Canaan Severin was released. In his place, the Steelers signed quarterback turned linebacker Austin Gearing out Miami (Ohio). Severin had little room for error, considering the depth the Steelers possess at the wide receiver position, and, unfortunately for Severin, he made enough errors in his debut against the Giants which resulted in his release. With number of injuries noted with the Steelers linebackers, Gearing is an extra body this unit could use while trying to regain some measure of health.

We have signed LB Austin Gearing, and released WR Canaan Severin.
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 14, 2017
Injury report:

With every passing session, the list of injured players continues to decrease. As reported by Steelers.com team reporter Missi Matthews, coach Tomlin noted receiver Sammie Coates “getting close” to returning from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List. The good news didn’t stop there, as James Conner was back in action. According to ESPN Senior writer Jeremy Fowler, Conner got plenty of repetitions in different drills as he looks to work his way into the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Other notable players returning to full action were Anthony Chickillo (hip flexor), Cameron Sutton (lower body), and Sean Davis (undisclosed).

The players who did not participate in today’s session were: Ryan Shazier (hamstring),Senquez Golson (hamstring), Mike Mitchell (lower body), Sammie Coates (knee), Keion Adams (shoulder), and Demarcus Ayers.

Training Camp Action:

WRs vs DBs drill @steelers camp. #SaintVincentCollege #TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/DSYIc2GaUU
— Simple Kind of Mahon (@EmmetMahon) August 14, 2017
Courtesy of @EmmetMahon

James Conner!#TrainingCamp #SaintVincentCollege #AlmaMater pic.twitter.com/LUV8h1qjef
— Simple Kind of Mahon (@EmmetMahon) August 14, 2017
Courtesy of @EmmetMahon

Notable Performers:

James Conner - Conner was quoted by Fowler saying that he has known “his whole life” that he can play at the NFL level. Perhaps we can better assess this after he plays his first preseason game, but in today’s session, it did not take him long to make a statement. As illustrated in Fowler’s post-practice report, after catching a pass from quarterback Joshua Dobbs, Conner hit safety Jordan Dangerfield with what he described as a “video-game-inspired juke”, giving him the open space needed to score a touchdown. The move prompted celebratory chest bumps and hugs by Antonio Brown and other teammates in the end zone. To make this type of impression on his first day returning to team drills, says enough to let you know that he could be very special.

Mike Hilton - The young man out of Ole Miss, labeled by Steelers analyst Tunch Ilkin as the ‘camp phenom’, was at it again. Antonio Brown aside, Hilton has arguably been the most consistent camp performer, which is why at this point it would nonsensical to deny his chances of making the 53-man roster. In today’s session, Hilton broke up a pass intended for Darrius Heyward-Bey, then followed it with an interception. This has been the norm for Hilton since camp started, and there is no indication of him stopping anytime soon.

Ben Roethlisberger - Ben had the type of day that only Ben could have. Noted in Fowler post-practice report, he hit 5 different receivers in the 11-man drill and went 3 for 4 in the goal-line drill with three touchdowns. To punctuate his day, after a completion to one of his tight ends during one-one-ones, Fowler overheared Roethlisberger telling linebacker Anthony Chickillo; “Chick, you almost had it, dawg”. It was that type of day for the future Hall of Famer.

William Gay - The veteran cornerback had a good day with two interceptions, one of which prompted a celebratory dance with his teammates as reported by Fowler. Many can say what they want about Gay at this point in his career, yet he is still an invaluable part of the Steelers defense.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2017/8/15/16146390/steelers-training-camp-nuggets-what-you-need-to-know-from-the-8-14-practice-preseason-week-2-falcons

[RuthlessBurgher]

Rookie running back James Conner shakes a safety, gets mobbed by Steelers

6:53 PM ET

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wasn't about to heap praise on a play that happened while players did not wear pads.

"But you guys are going to make a big deal about it," said Tomlin with a laugh. "So go ahead."

So here's the "big deal": Rookie running back James Conner hit safety Jordan Dangerfield with a video-game-inspired juke to free him up for a touchdown during the two-minute drill. Conner caught a pass from Josh Dobbs, and Tomlin looked ready to tell Conner to get out of bounds to save clock.

The move prompted Tomlin to joke Dangerfield "looked like a I-AA safety."

Conner got past his man and went all the way, prompting Antonio Brown and many other teammates to run to the end zone for hugs and chest-bumps.

The Steelers are easing Conner back after a minor shoulder injury kept him out of the preseason opener, but he got a heavy dose of reps during Monday's non-padded session. Conner is hoping to work his way back in time for Sunday's home game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Conner wasn't thinking about getting out of bounds, only playing football the way he knows how.

How long has Conner, who's looked quick and decisive in limited practice action, known he could play at this level?

"My whole life," said Conner, citing older brothers teaching him about toughness.

In other Steelers practice news:


▪ After one of his quieter camp days Sunday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger responded with an impressive day Monday. He went 3-of-4 with three touchdowns in goal-line work (and barely missed a fourth pass high), getting two scores from the slot, via a flip pass to Eli Rogers and a corner route with JuJu Smith-Schuster. In 11-man session, Roethlisberger hit five different receivers on six passing attempts.


▪ Overheard: "Chick, you almost had it, dawg." --Roethlisberger to linebacker Anthony Chickillo in one-on-ones after a completion to a tight end.


▪ Another big day for corner William Gay, who picked the backup quarterbacks twice, including a Dobbs pick in two-minute drill, prompting a collaborative dance with teammates.


▪ Linebacker Ryan Shazier, safety Mike Mitchell, linebacker Bud Dupree and cornerback Senquez Golson were among the defensive players missing Monday's session.


▪ Wide receiver Sammie Coates (knee, PUP) is progressing and working hard, said Tomlin, who isn't sure when Coates will return.


http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/24609/rb-james-conner-shakes-a-safety-gets-mobbed-by-steelers

[RuthlessBurgher]

Conner catch-and-run TD beats the clock
Posted 16 hours ago

By Mike Prisuta

Steelers revisit two-minute scenario for learning purposes.

LATROBE, Pa. _ The second two-minute series of the afternoon lasted one snap thanks to James Conner.

The rookie running back from Pitt caught a short pass from quarterback Bart Houston on first-and-10 from the 49-yard line, made safety Jordan Dangerfield miss near the boundary in the vicinity of the 36 and then sprinted down the sideline into the end zone.

The catch-and-run touchdown earned Conner cheers from the fans still watching at Saint Vincent College and celebratory hugs from Conner’s offensive teammates.

A third two-minute series was subsequently staged, since Conner’s play hadn’t used up much of the 1:18 allotted for the offense to drive 49 yards for a touchdown, with one timeout at its disposal.

The Steelers had run two such two-minute scenarios on Sunday, but head coach Mike Tomlin “didn’t like what we saw.”

They repeated the drill today and got “more competitive results,” Tomlin said.

The do-over drill also provided more opportunities for Tomlin to roam the sideline and offer up pre-snap tendencies and scenarios and coaching points based on the down, distance and time remaining.

“It’s about education,” he explained. “It’s not necessary winning the drill, it’s educating, and educating both sides.

“The play that James made is a calculated risk under those circumstances. He gets tackled in bounds, we gotta burn a timeout there. He made a guy miss and created a big play. He has to understand what he’s doing when he does those type of things. There are a lot of lessons to be learned in those scenarios on both sides.”

The drill was two-hand touch, but Tomlin was certain Conner would have evaded Dangerfield and scored had tackling been permitted.

Still, Conner said he intended to further review the two-minute re-do.

“I gotta go back on film and watch it,” he said. “In those two-minute situations there are times where you need to get out of bounds. I have to really look and see if I really made the right decision or not, gotta critique.

“If you scored, yeah, it’s the right decision because we want points. But we’ll see, gotta look at it.”

MEDICAL FILE: Quarterback Landry Jones, wide receiver Demarcus Ayers, cornerback Cam Sutton, safety Mike Mitchell, cornerback Senquez Golson, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, linebacker Ryan Shazier, linebacker Steven Johnson, center Maurkice Pouncey, outside linebacker James Harrison and outside linebacker Keion Adams were among the players who didn’t participate or practiced on a limited basis due to injury or a coach’s decision.

SAY WATT: Tomlin wasn’t interested in discussing a published report this afternoon that said the Steelers’ plan is to start Dupree and No. 1 pick T.J. Watt at outside linebacker and not rotate other players into the game at those positions, according outside linebackers coach Joey Porter.

“I’ll let him address all those bold statements regarding rotations,” Tomlin said. “You guys aren’t sucking me into those waters.”

As for Harrison’s anticipated snaps this season, Tomlin said the veteran would get “as many as he can handle, as many as I’ll prescribe, and I’m on the fence about what that number is.”

Watt said he has yet to be so anointed or informed.

“I haven’t heard anything,” he said. “I’m just coming out here trying to do everything I can each and every single day to show these coaches what I can do. All that stuff’s above my pay grade. That’s not my responsibility, to put the lineup out there. I’m just out here trying to show that I’m as consistent as possible, and that I can make plays, that I can be trusted.”

QUICK-HITTERS: The defense won “Seven Shots,” 4-3. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs threw three incompletions on his three reps to end the drill … Cornerback William Gay intercepted Dobbs and cornerback Mike Hilton intercepted Houston in a wide receivers/defensive backs drill … Punter Jordan Berry wowed the crowd with a punt that traveled approximately 64 yards. Wide receiver Marcus Tucker muffed the return at the goal line … Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster made a great catch on a fade from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in “Seven Shots” against Gay. Wide receiver Antonio Brown made an even better stretching, toe-tapping catch on a pass from Dobbs at cornerback Brandon Dixon’s expense in the wide receivers/defensive backs drill … Gay ended the first two-minute drill by intercepting Dobbs on a pass intended for wide receiver Justin Hunter. The third two-minute drive ended on a Houston incompletion.

http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Conner-catch-and-run-TD-beats-the-clock/9fc5628d-7954-44f2-940b-e9151a29120e

[Steel Maniac]

I hope Connor continues to play well.

[feltdizz]

I think Connor is going to be a nice addition to this offense.

[Oviedo]

I hope Connor continues to play well.

After winning the Super Bowl, my greatest wish is for Conner to start a very successful and long career with the Steelers.