My thoughts on preseason wk 3

1. Will howard rebounded well...... his int looked liked someone ran the wrong route

2. I'm a little worried about Dylan Cook.... he looked cooked most of his time on the field

3. Speaking of o-line, Max Iheanachor learned a valuable lesson on footwork and balance

4 Coaches decision for RB3 is gonna be tough..... all I know is that it won't be Kaleb Johnson

5 Robert Spears-Jennings has basically forced his way on the team

6. Defense may very well be elite this yr

7. Bringing back Elandon Roberts was a stroke of genius

8. Nice to see Kaden Wetjen finally do what we drafted him for...... still getting the feeling that with him it's gonna be all or nothing

 

That's exactly what Chris Hoke said about Wetjen. You'll get a lot of no yardage returns and then bam he breaks one for a TD.

 

I am not worried about Dylan Cook. He looks exactly like what he has always been...a reserve offensive lineman.

If this coaching staff keeps Kaleb Johnson that is a pretty darning indictment on them and allows past mistakes to continue. I can not wait for this dude to get cut. Even for Travis Homer -- who isn't very good either.

The defense looks like it could be a bit of fun to watch. BUT...no turnovers at all against back-ups and grocery cart collectors through the preseason? That seems more than a bit troubling...

 

Huh? cook played 3 quarters at LT and did a very good job. not sure what everyone else is seeing but he has done pretty well all preseason.

 

2 and 3 tie in together.


Cook, as me and @jeh1856 have stated all along, is in over his head. This should shock no one. As for how this ties into 3, Max definitely had his Welcome to the NFL moments for certain. Even so, he rebounded quite well.


That leads me to this; Max Iheanachor needs to start Week 1. Dylan Cook has proven, all preseason, that he cannot handle speed to power whatsoever. Max can.

 

This is a bit myopic but at the end of the game last night when Allar could have had the killer instinct to win the game he threw two terrible passes

 

I commented at the time
Back to deer
In headlights

 

The only way Kaleb Johnson makes the team is if the Steelers are trying to save face by not admitting they whiffed on a 3rd round pick just last season.

 

NO NO!!!!!! Allar NEVER throws terrible passes. They were just miscommunications due to working with the third teamers and not having good receivers out there!!!!!

 

I actually think his last throw was likely a miscommunication…. Sure looked like it.

 

Kaleb Johnson gets the 'Kenny Pickett What-did-we-draft-him-for? Award'

 

1. Or Jerry Jones paid him to throw it to the defensive back. Wait that was three decades ago

2. Cook's rise to near sainthood has very humbly fell back to earth. Guy that had little playing time before last year and even less tape might just have been exposed.

3. I hope if they decide to play Max from week 1 that he is going to be given help until he is back up to speed.

4. I think its Nichols and holding on to the midshipmen as a gadget 4th string guy.

5. yep I got nothing.

6. I'm not sure about all the moving pieces now that games will count but I do know one thing anyone not named Watt did little to inspire confidence even among the trade Watt for magic beans crowd. Highsmith, Herbig, and Sawyer looked average.
7. Roberts should basically be part of a 3 man rotation where he is on the field all the time and Wilson and Queen sub out.

8. Wetjen needs to go forward more than dancing and looking to create. Commit and explode son, commit and explode.

 

Always been my forte, but my girl hates it.

 

Any thoughts on why Roman Wilson did not play?

 

I didn't see the game, so is Allar staring down receivers still??

 

Its unfortunate, but something that's followed him since college. Big time moments... The good news is that he won't have to worry about that this year and try to get his skills up to compete for the starting job next year.

 

Its not as much staring down receivers, its just that he was inaccurate when the game was on the line. Possibly due to the footwork still being fresh for him, or just something he has to work through as he was poor in big games in college as well. McCarthy is very obviously putting him through the "QB school" teaching and knows what he's doing. There's a reason why he didn't even consider playing Allar up higher, and it's because the work he's put in is still raw. Needs to keep working and gaining confidence, not pushing for a higher spot on the 26 depth chart. Everything we're doing with Allar is pointing to 27

 

I could think of a couple reasons... One, maybe he was being sat because they knew he was on the team and wanted to get a better look at Bernard for the WR3 role (or the other depth WR's to see who to keep). Two, he was being punished for the wrong routes and effectively "benched" for a PS game. Or three, they just wanted their WR room as healthy as possible with the top two guys missing PS with injuries.

 

We need to stop drafting RB's that have no burst. Harris, Johnson... it just doesn't work in the NFL. Johnson probably needs to put on weight to be like Najee to try to carve out some semblance of a career in the NFL. If you can't be explosive, be big. He might be able to work into a rotation then... but you just can't be garbage in the open field and expect to be a successful NFL RB.

 

KJ looks to me like Limas Sweed and many other draft picks over the years who didn't make it. Football is simply not a priority for them. Lots of potential talent... but no desire. NFL.... you must live it, love it and breathe it.

 

He's making the team, but the coaches have given up on him being the 3rd option...... that #3 spot belongs to Bernard and Roman will see the field in 5 receiver sets

 

How are you gaging his desire? Other than last season's camp where he was declared both the steal of the draft and the best diamond in the rough for the draft class I haven't heard anything about lack of desire. I think that mistake against the Seahawks might have broken him and he needs rebuilding to get some confidence back.

 

I’m not sure a year on the bench will cure the yips

 

I tend to agree. It was my biggest worry with drafting Allar... but we can hope that it does. He's had some moments to be excited about, even if he's had just as many not so good ones. We just have to hope that this year will help him. Sometimes "yips" are more about confidence than capability. If he improves and gains confidence, maybe some of that will go away. Only time will tell.