With 2:30 left in the third quarter, the Green Bay Packers still held a lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener. As soon as the fourth-team unit hit the field, though, it was all Steelers, one major factor in why Pittsburgh wound up winning 28-9 on Thursday night.
While quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t play for the Steelers, Pittsburgh didn’t hold out all of their starters in this game. In fact, the Steelers’ starting offensive line remained in the game even once the Packers, who played their starters on both sides of the ball for a series, dropped down to their second-team defense.
Neither team was effective in running the ball tonight, with the Packers averaging 2.6 yards per carry and the Steelers averaging 2.8, but the biggest difference in this game was what Pittsburgh was able to do in the air. In total, the Steelers’ three backups went 27 of 33 for 313 yards in the air (10.1 yards per attempt average) and scored two touchdowns for a collective 128.8 rating. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s four quarterbacks were 19 of 30 for 97 yards (4.7 per pass) for a 74.4 rating.
The first-team offense, led by quarterback Jordan Love, went 46 yards and kicked a field goal in their lone drive together. The second-team offense didn’t score, but the third-string unit was able to put together two more field goal drives (including a two-minute drill at the end of the first half), which led to the Packers taking a 9-7 lead with 4:28 left in the third quarter.
After that, Green Bay punted three times, while the Steelers scored three touchdowns against the Packers’ deep reserves before kneeling out the game.
Matt LaFleur’s team was pretty penalty-free until the fourth-team unit came on the field, too, but they ended the night with nine penalties for 76 yards. Pittsburgh racked up 11 for 134 yards. Both sides will want to clean things up before the regular season starts.
The following players were out for the Packers tonight due to injury:
- RB Josh Jacobs (groin)
- RB Chris Brooks (hamstring)
- TE Tucker Kraft (knee)
- TE Luke Musgrave (neck)
- LG Aaron Banks (knee)
- RT Zach Bako-Bewele (knee)
- EDGE Micah Parsons (knee)
- EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton (illness)
- DL Devonte Wyatt (knee)
- DL Javon Hargrave (knee)
- DL Jordon Riley (ankle)
- CB Carrington Valentine (hamstring)
- CB Domani Jackson (abdominal)
- S Javon Bullard (foot)
- LS Matt Orzech (calf)
With a banged-up offensive line, the starters were Jordan Morgan, Jager Burton, Sean Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Anthony Belton (left to right). Interestingly, John Williams and Donovan Jennings got into the game before Darian Kinnard and Travis Glover, who some expected to be the team’s top backup offensive line options. The third-string line was made up of Williams, rookie UDFA Dillon Wade, Jennings, Kinnard and Glover (left to right). Eventually, Kinnard dropped out of action with an injury and was replaced by rookie UDFA Josh Gesky.
The top performers on the offense, from a yardage standpoint, were quarterback Kyle McCord (102 yards), running back Damien Martinez (20 yards) and receiver Isaiah Neyor (34 yards). Fourth-string quarterback Kyron Drones only had one pass attempt, an incompletion, while taking three sacks.
On defense, Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse got the starting looks at outside cornerback over Benjamin St-Juste, even with Carrington Valentine sidelined. Safety Kitan Oladapo was the replacement starter in the slot for the injured Javon Bullard, and Oladapo frankly looked lost in the role. Previously, Oladapo had put up solid film at the safety position in preseasons and limited regular-season looks.
Maybe the biggest surprise in the starting lineup on either side of the ball was that Jonathan Ford was the team’s starting nose tackle in 3-4 looks, while Devonte Wyatt and Javon Hargrave were held out. It was Ford between Warren Brinson and Karl Brooks, not Chris McClellan or Nazir Stackhouse. Anthony Campbell, who generated some buzz for his pass batdown ability in camp, also was injured late in the game. At the moment, we don’t know the severity of the injuries to either Kinnard or Campbell.
Also: Edge defender Collin Oliver is very fast. It’s apparent on almost every play he’s out there for.
The Packers’ defense played very aggressively on Thursday, with a lot of blitzes called. On the second play of the game, new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon called a six-man blitz that got home for a sack. Unfortunately, once the Packers got down to their fourth stringers, they were down the horses to get home and/or make up for it in the backend with coverage, resulting in the Steelers scoring three straight touchdowns to end the game.
The star of the preseason showing was kicker Trey Smack, who hit field goals of 58, 57, 38 and 37 yards, though the 58-yarder was called back because Pittsburgh roughed Green Bay’s long snapper. The Packers took the 15-yard penalty and automatic first down.
In other special teams news, receiver Savion Williams and running back Pierre Strong Jr. were the team’s top kick returners, not receiver Skyy Moore. Moore did return punts, though, taking one for 14 yards.
Overall, it was about as preseasony as a preseason game could get. Hey, at least the kicker looked good.