By Ray Porter Jr
PITTSBURGH, PA–For the first time since 2016 (vs. the Detroit Lions), the Pittsburgh Steelers held a joint practice as they welcomed the nearby Buffalo Bills to Acrisure Stadium. In years past, joint practices and scrimmages were a common event with the Steelers as they and the then-Washington Redskins used to scrimmage in Carlisle, Pa in the Chuck Noll/Joe Gibbs era.
The significance of this joint practice is that not only will both teams play their 2nd Preseason game Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, (7pm), Tomlin and Bill’s head coach Sean McDermott are longtime friends.
“I just expect it to be good work,” said Tomlin on Wednesday during their final day in Latrobe “I was on the phone last night with ‘McDee’ [Sean McDermott]. He and I go way back. He’s a great dance partner from that perspective. I know his values. Excited about good, clean working preparation for our season…If I get a good dance partner, I’m interested. And my old college teammate and the Buffalo Bills are that.”
But even with a ‘Dance Partner’, it was business as usual as they not only prepare for Saturday’s game vs. the Bills, but they are also preparing for the 2024 Regular Season which begins on September 8th vs. the Atlanta Falcons. But before they get there, they have to get through the ‘Dog Days’ of Summer Preparation.
Both teams did scrimmages against each other: The Steelers offense vs. the Bills Defense and Vice-versa. Familiar faces squared off against each other as former Steeler QB Mitch Trubisky and former Bills QB Kyle Allen played against their former teams along with the presence of Bills CB and former Central Catholic and Pitt’s Damar Hamlin.
Overall, it was a good day.
“We had a really productive practice.” Said Tomlin. They’re different than us in some ways, and that’s what made the work really good. We’re a 3-4 structure. They’re a 4-3 structure, so I’d imagine that was good for both offensive lines to see those different structures and get a couple of days work, as opposed to one day’s work with it. They’ve got some continuity within their program and culture, and we do as well.”
Tomlin also addressed what needed work: “We need that type of work, particularly in regard to the special teams. It’s probably the most difficult thing to duplicate in a practice-like setting, the intensity and so forth associated with in-stadium work as it pertains to special teams. I thought we had a couple of really good periods in that regard. Both units got an opportunity to execute some punting game. We had an opportunity to get some more work and look at the kickoff game. And so just really appreciative of that work and in their cooperation and making this thing come off the way that it did.”
Tomlin then addressed Saturday’s game: “As I’ve mentioned a couple of times this week, we’ve got an inclusive mentality about participation in this game. We’re not setting anyone aside to minimize their reps or to look at others. All of those that are healthy will participate in the game. That’s our mentality, the sand starting to run through the hourglass in terms of us divvying ourselves up and carving out a role for ourselves in this thing. And so, these in-stadium opportunities are limited and weighted differently, and as we go into our second stadium and our last one here in Pittsburgh, we just think it’s appropriate that we have an ‘all-in’ type mentality.”
Tomlin then addressed the injuries: “You could characterize many of them as day to day and so all decision is appropriate in terms of their participation. Russ [Wilson] is scheduled to participate if he has no setbacks, it’s been a good week. He’s been a full participant. He’s had a couple really good days with each passing day is less of an issue, and so we look forward to him participating in this home venue.”
When asked how much playing time Wilson would get, Tomlin said ‘He’ll start.”
Tomlin also said the first team will also take action as well, “Our mindset regarding the first team or the first wave of terror, if you will. Last week, they played about two series, roughly, offensively, and defensively. We have a mindset of playing roughly four this time around, but that’s subject to change based on what it is that we see. If they’re highly effective and productive and we get good quality work, we might move on from them to get more of an exposure to the to the other guys, and so that’s a template in which we work. It’s not etched in stone.”
As they get closer to reducing their rosters to the 53-man mark, Tomlin and the Steelers know there is much significance to this 2nd Preseason game: “We’ve had a really good week of work. A component of professional football is getting out in front of problems before they happen, and if you don’t, eliminating them quickly once they show themselves. And so, I’m really evaluating us as players and as coaches in terms of the appropriate response to some of the things that were thrown in our side a week ago.”
Notes: Hall of Fame CB Mel Blount was also at the Joint-Practice on Thursday.
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