Steelers vs. Bills game thread (Preseason Week 2)

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Quote :

Bills search for progress; Steelers looking to win

Pittsburgh is searching for something to build on. The Steelers haven't won an exhibition game in nearly two years, going 0-4 last August in what turned out to be a precursor for a miserable 2-6 start when the games started to count.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has praised his young group for a promising two-plus weeks at Saint Vincent College, where he believes the good days outnumbered the bad by a large margin.

"For me the biggest thing is mistakes have gotten cut down, whether it's rookie mistakes, veteran mistakes, myself," Roethlisberger said. "Less mistakes usually means you are understanding things, you are in the book, you are studying, which leads to better production."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/08/15/bills-search-for-progress-steelers-looking-to-win/14109605/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatodaycomnfl-topstories

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Ryan Shazier could miss another game

Posted by Josh Alper

The Steelers’ offseason workouts led to a lot of buzz about the role that first-round pick Ryan Shazier is going to play on defense during his rookie season, but the linebacker hasn’t been able to back it up in a game yet.

It may be at least another week before that happens. Shazier missed the team’s preseason opener with a knee bruise and he has yet to return to a full practice schedule this week. That leaves him questionable for Saturday’s game against the Bills, a designation he shares with linebacker Jarvis Jones.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/14/ryan-shazier-could-miss-another-game/

It seemed like a forgone conclusion that Shazier would be the starter in Game 1. If he doesn't play Saturday and Spence has another good showing, I think it would raise some questions.

I will probably record this game and watch it later. Probably type my thoughts (drive by drive) and increase my post count    

Whyant5 wrote:

I will probably record this game and watch it later.  Probably type my thoughts (drive by drive) and increase my post count    

 

Quote :

Steelers will Wing it at punter against Bills

By Alan Robinson

Their long snapper is injured and out for a month, the veteran punter they signed in the offseason never reported to a training camp that's over.

With the season just three weeks off, the Steelers' punting game is down to a Wing and a prayer.

Former Bears and Jaguars punter Adam Podlesh still hasn't reported because he stayed with his wife during a difficult pregnancy, so former first-team All-American Brad Wing will be the lone punter again Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills.

“He's very athletic, he works great and he's got a strong-enough leg,” Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith said of Wing, who averaged 44.6 yards at LSU over the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Upgrading their deficient punting is a priority for the Steelers, who had the NFL's second-worst overall and net punting averages last season, and were third from the bottom in 2012-13. During those two seasons, the Dolphins averaged 49.2 yards per punt to the Steelers' 42.1, giving them an extra 1,400 yards in field position.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/6621811-74/wing-steelers-punter#ixzz3AWe8HkUu
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I don't give a shit if it's pre-season. I want a win under our belts tonight.

Oh man! A great TD and Squeezem missed the extra point??? OUCH!!!!      

Just starting the game..... here we go!

Bills drive: Just as I was about to say we had good kick coverage, Suisham had to make the tackle.   Good job by Shazier on the check down to stop if from being a big gain. It was also nice to see Troy up on the line of scrimmage. Shazier with 2 tackles already, wowza. Shazier is all over the place, just chased down Manuel on that scramble, then in there on the tackle on the run on the next play. Oof, there was the injury to Watkins, that happened awful early. Troy with the great tackle after the Steelers gave up the first down via penalty. Impressive rush on 2nd down, only to realize it was a screen. The defense survives the long drive and only allow 3. Shazier and Troy were VERY impressive.

Steelers drive: Went right to Dri Archer on the first play. Wheaton needs to have a better block there so Dri can do his thing. What a play on 2nd down!!! Great slant to Antonio and nailed him right in stride and Brown takes it to the house! WOW! I had no idea he was so fast. Those are the kinds of plays that will keep the pressure of Ben when you get the ball out that quickly. Suisham missed the extra point, must still be feeling it after making that tackle.   

Bills drive: You gotta be kidding me Shazier, you're in there on special teams making the play, too? Are we watching the linebacker version of Troy P.? Cortez Allen is just getting picked on at this point. Troy and Shazier in there to make the play on 1st down. Can't wait until they wear the bee uniforms so we can really say these guys are swarming. Nice job to string the run out. Another stupid freggin penalty. That better get cleaned up real quick. Cam Hayward does a fantastic job to blow up the screen (he even had 2 guys that started the play blocking him). YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME. Ryan Shazier with the interception. This guy is everywhere!!! Wow.

Steelers drive: Another drive started with a little pass to the LOS. We have enough speed to make those things work. I like the run on 2nd down, even though it didn't gain a lot of yards. Ben just overthrows AB on the free play, looked like it needed to be an absolutely perfect pass. Nice cutback by Bell on 1st down after the penalty. Bell grinds out a few more yards when it looked like he should have none. Another run on 3rd down and Bell grinds it out for a first down. Pretty impressive running so far. Interesting how we have the RBs line up at wide out. I like if, if they can catch it. Bills snuffed out the quick pass to Dri as Moore missed the block. HOLY COW! What a fantastic play on 3rd down. Ben stepped up in the pocket and delivered a GREAT ball to Wheaton who makes an awesome catch. WOW this offense looks SHARP. Suisham nails the extra point.

Bills drive: the tackle was made on the kickoff by no other than Shazier. Incredible. Nice job to snuff out the play there as the Bills tried to used our play against us. Shazier with the tackle (again) even though he wasn't able to stop him before he got the first down yardage. Another tackle by Shazier on that first down after the penalty. First quarter in the books and BR7, Shazier, and Troy are looking fantastic. Finally some great pressure 2 plays in a row (Worilds in there on the second one resulting in an intentional grounding). Yikes, a 24 yard gainer on 3rd down. They highlighted that Tuitt ran upfield to make the tackle, impressive stuff. 53 yard field goal is good. Steelers gave them points there thanks to the big gainer on 3rd down.

Steelers drive: After a nice completion to Heath on the first play, BR7 was a bit off on 2nd down. Nice dart on 3rd down to find AB on 3rd down. Great protection there on that 3rd down. Nice job by Ben to step up on 1st down and keep the eyes up, finds Health, but he drops it. Wow, can't believe he dropped one. Pitch to Blount, did a nice job to make it back to the line of scrimmage on a broken play. Good completion on 3rd down to Heath but they ended up a little short. Good try to draw them offsides. I wouldn't have minded them going for it on 4th down as it's just a friendly. Nice kick by Wing there.

Bills drive: Troy makes the tackle on 1st down. No surprise. A couple "almosts" on 2nd down- Cam almost had a sack and Troy almost made yet another tackle. Shazier in on the tackle on 1st down. 2nd down was a run where there were 2 missed tackles which would have resulted in a loss, so that's not good. Gave up a 1st down on 3rd down, so that's not good. Tackle, Shazier, again. Great job to stuff them on 3rd down. Great play there on 4th to stop the drive as I believe Hayward knocked it down.

Steelers drive: Jones in now. After a couple of ho hum runs, Landry tries to fit it in a tight window with the receiver being double covered. Doh.

Bills drive: Another 3rd down conversion by the Bills. Defense needs to step up and get themselves off the field. Great play by Shamarko to close the distance on the toss into the flats to the RB. 3rd and goal and the Steelers are able to stop them (more like Manuel threw it a bit off the mark). Bills going for it on 4th down and a great play by Golden to break up the pass. Great play.

Steelers drive: Coverage sack on 1st down. Landry does a nice job to step up in the pocket. Good run by Dri after the free first down via the holding penalty. Dri looks like he has some pretty quick cutback speed. OL is getting blown up right now; I'd like to see what Landry Jones could do with an actual line in there. Just as Jones make a nice throw, he errors on the 3rd down as his throw was off the mark. Another good kick by Wing.

Bills drive: 2 easy runs on first and second down. After a missed tackle and a defender getting OWNED by the RB, a fumble and the Steelers recover. Shamarko creating the fumble.

Steelers drive: Great play on the screen on 2nd down. Dri Archer showing his speed and good luck to the defenders that have to try and catch that gazelle. Great route and great toss on the 1st and 5 but the holding proved to slow down Bryant just enough to prevent the TD. Fumble on the play by Landry Jones. Needless to say he's having a very, very rough game.

Bills drive: The pass interference in the end zone made that touchdown real easy for the Bills. Need to clean up the penalties.

Steelers drive: Poole didn't get much on 1st, but had nice explosion through the hole on 2nd down. On 3rd down, a nice pass to Bryant is dropped. Bryant's hands have failed him.

Bills drive: Question on the non-call for intentional grounding: The quarterback wasn't under pressure? Every time there is a rush, isn't that pressure. Maybe the ref was just insulting our defense.    Speaking of defense, again so close to sack but Green steps up and makes the play be having good coverage (after the horrible game he had last week).

Steelers drive: Another penalty that negates a good play on 1st down. Penalties absolutely killed that drive. Zzzzzz.......   

Bills drive: After giving up a long run to the QB on the first play, the D is able to stuff the run. The WR was WIIIIIDE open on the next play but the pass was over thrown. A stop on 3rd down and not just any stop, a turnover! A great blitz from the CB caused the pressure which lead to an errant thrown. Maybe this defense needs to be on the field for every 3rd down.   

Steelers drive: Not much of a drive to speak of. A dropped pass and a screen that ended up way short. Again...   

Good coverage on the kick. Wing is starting to do a better job of punting.