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Harris: Dixon showing improvement
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, August 16, 2009
[url="http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_638548.html"]http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburght ... 38548.html[/url]
Reserve quarterback Dennis Dixon was impressive in the second half of the Steelers' preseason opener Thursday night.
To wit:
• Despite underthrowing a couple of long passes he'd love to have back, he delivered the football to Shaun McDonald like the pair had been playing together for years.
• He stayed in the pocket and did not display even a hint of "happy feet.''
• He showed no ill-effects from the ACL injury suffered in college that impeded his development as a rookie last year.
Sharing the huddle with young receivers and offensive linemen with virtually no NFL experience, Dixon accepted a challenge from coach Mike Tomlin:
Move the offense.
In his first extended game action since last preseason, that's what Dixon did.
"We saw him make some good decisions,'' director of football operations Kevin Colbert said of Dixon's performance (10-of-19 for 112 yards). "He put the ball where it needed to be.
"In the second year, you want to see continued growth and understanding and grasping the offense and just not making plays on innate ability. He really seemed to do a nice job within the system, and that's encouraging.''
Colbert praised Dixon in a game where the quarterback intentionally made more plays with his arm than his feet.
"He really didn't get to utilize one of his great abilities — and that's run,'' said Colbert, who selected Dixon in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. "Sometimes, the guys who can run get flushed out of there a little too quickly. He hung in there and made some nice plays.''
Said Dixon, who passed for more than 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns at Oregon: "As a quarterback, you always want to pass first. My first reaction is to throw the ball.''
Some of Dixon's early throws against Arizona were delivered poorly and fell short of their target. It made me wonder if he was still compensating for his knee, and if that was preventing him from stepping into his throws.
But Dixon said that his left knee, which he injured twice during his final college season, is back to normal.
"I have no worries,'' he said.
Colbert said public expectations about Dixon being physically ready to play as a rookie were misguided.
"Last year still was not even one year post (operation) until the end of November,'' Colbert said. "So, really, a lot of what he was doing, he still wasn't 100 percent. In December and January, we started seeing him doing some good things.''
Some of which manifested themselves against Arizona on Thursday. As the third-team quarterback, Dixon is desirous of making big plays no matter who's on the field with him.
Dixon hooked up with McDonald, a veteran free agent vying to become the No. 3 receiver along with second-year wideout Limas Sweed and rookie Mike Wallace. McDonald caught six balls for 69 yards, including four receptions during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive in the Steelers' 20-10 victory.
"The personnel I was out there with, I told them we were going to have some ups and downs — that's the nature of the game,'' Dixon said.
"Some of my deep balls weren't up to par because the ball was coming out of my hand wrong.
"All in all, I felt comfortable with our performance. It gives you a big confidence boost. Not only me, but our whole offense. It goes to show we can march down the field and make plays.''
By John Harris, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, August 16, 2009
[url="http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_638548.html"]http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburght ... 38548.html[/url]
Reserve quarterback Dennis Dixon was impressive in the second half of the Steelers' preseason opener Thursday night.
To wit:
• Despite underthrowing a couple of long passes he'd love to have back, he delivered the football to Shaun McDonald like the pair had been playing together for years.
• He stayed in the pocket and did not display even a hint of "happy feet.''
• He showed no ill-effects from the ACL injury suffered in college that impeded his development as a rookie last year.
Sharing the huddle with young receivers and offensive linemen with virtually no NFL experience, Dixon accepted a challenge from coach Mike Tomlin:
Move the offense.
In his first extended game action since last preseason, that's what Dixon did.
"We saw him make some good decisions,'' director of football operations Kevin Colbert said of Dixon's performance (10-of-19 for 112 yards). "He put the ball where it needed to be.
"In the second year, you want to see continued growth and understanding and grasping the offense and just not making plays on innate ability. He really seemed to do a nice job within the system, and that's encouraging.''
Colbert praised Dixon in a game where the quarterback intentionally made more plays with his arm than his feet.
"He really didn't get to utilize one of his great abilities — and that's run,'' said Colbert, who selected Dixon in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. "Sometimes, the guys who can run get flushed out of there a little too quickly. He hung in there and made some nice plays.''
Said Dixon, who passed for more than 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns at Oregon: "As a quarterback, you always want to pass first. My first reaction is to throw the ball.''
Some of Dixon's early throws against Arizona were delivered poorly and fell short of their target. It made me wonder if he was still compensating for his knee, and if that was preventing him from stepping into his throws.
But Dixon said that his left knee, which he injured twice during his final college season, is back to normal.
"I have no worries,'' he said.
Colbert said public expectations about Dixon being physically ready to play as a rookie were misguided.
"Last year still was not even one year post (operation) until the end of November,'' Colbert said. "So, really, a lot of what he was doing, he still wasn't 100 percent. In December and January, we started seeing him doing some good things.''
Some of which manifested themselves against Arizona on Thursday. As the third-team quarterback, Dixon is desirous of making big plays no matter who's on the field with him.
Dixon hooked up with McDonald, a veteran free agent vying to become the No. 3 receiver along with second-year wideout Limas Sweed and rookie Mike Wallace. McDonald caught six balls for 69 yards, including four receptions during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive in the Steelers' 20-10 victory.
"The personnel I was out there with, I told them we were going to have some ups and downs — that's the nature of the game,'' Dixon said.
"Some of my deep balls weren't up to par because the ball was coming out of my hand wrong.
"All in all, I felt comfortable with our performance. It gives you a big confidence boost. Not only me, but our whole offense. It goes to show we can march down the field and make plays.''
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