5 things to keep an eye on in Pre-season

After seeing The Steelers in Camp on Saturday and at Fan Fest on Sunday, here are 5 things I will be looking at in the pre-season:

1) Can Matt Feiler hold off Chukes Okoafor to start at right tackle?

2) Who will return punts?--Ryan Switzer, Diontae Spencer, Cam Sutton, Diontae Johnson? This is more important than you might think, being that The Steelers were 30th. in starting field position last year.

3) I.L.B.--Devin Bush vs. Mark Barron.

4) Backup Q.B.-- Joshua Dobbs or Mason Rudolph.

5) How are Boz and Jordan Berry kicking the ball?

 

Field position is a huge factor in a football game. A good punt returner is a huge plus and I sure the hell hope the Steelers get it right. And on the kicking side of the ball, sure hope Boz has his head on straight this season.

Can't wait until Friday night!!!!!

 

I hope it's not bush vs Barron as much as Bush and barron.

 

For depth chart and starting purposes only! LOL!

 

From what I’ve read, it doesn’t seem like the competition brought in for Boz and Berry have realistic chances. I think Boz can come back, but I worry about Berry’s consistency

 

I really only have two things I'm looking at this preseason and in reality they probably won't be answered until a few weeks into the regular season.

1. Communication on defense. A sore spot these past few seasons. Does Teryl Austin help in this regard? Does S. Davis and T. Edmunds being in the same spot for the second year help? Who's wearing the green dot for the defense? Is it Bush and can he handle it OK? How does the ILB rotation affect this? Improving in this area will help a lot of things.

2. Run/Pass balance on offense. That balance was kind of lost towards the end of the season (when JC30 went down?) and Ben tossed it around a ton. Now we have 3 stud RBs and I believe a very competent group of WRs. If we can maintain that RZ efficiency and balance the offense a little more, I think we can win a lot of games.

 

Just heard on Tunch and Wolfe that Ben texted Ryan Switzer during the SB and asked why they could connect like Brady and Edelman. Yes Ben why can't you?

 

Wish they would have held onto McCrane to give Boswell a run for his money. Obviously Boswell is it going forward due to the contract he just signed before going AWOL or else they would have not cut the bait so soon. Hope he clears his head head and has a much better season than last. Berry has to be more consistent.

 

I just hope everyone stays healthy. Preseason means very little and for most of the team it won't make them any better than they were last year or the year before. Stay healthy and execute good tactics. Curious to see if the new additions were worth all the repetitive and meaningless media for the past several months. Hope they are.

 

I will be watching the whole defense. in particular rotations. I want to see
DB's and LB's in an aggressive mode, creating turnovers.

 

Because Brady didn't have a AB on his team, to force the ball to.

 

I see Dobbs will be starting Friday night. I figured as much. It is the defensive side of the ball I'm more interested to watch Friday.

 

I may be wrong but always felt the indictment of our lack of success on special teams stem more from poor blocking than the runner. I believe you can put Devin Hester in his prime back there & he wouldn't do well for us...

 

and what are we all doing during preseason? getting our drinking hand into shape and working on culinary skills lol

 

I have been catching up on some A Football Life episodes on Prime. I had no idea they made a whole episode on The Immaculate Reception.

 

Planning to watch and chart some in game notes personally!! Cannot wait! So close!!

 

Friday's stock car racing night, but I'll have my trusty old transistor radio to hear the call from Tunch and Wolfe in between races. Then I'll read the game day thread and get a general flavor of who looked good and who didn't while I watch it on DVR.

I'm excited about this season. I have a feeling I'll enjoy rooting for this team much more than the last couple of years.

 

I'm just happy football is back. Never put too much thought into the first pre season game. I'm more interested in the third pre season game. That's more of a barometer for me.

 

I agree I think they will show much more energy than past years, maybe I am wrong?

 

Didn't I tell you all in a previous thread on this site that Ben will have Switzer on the team.

 

you and me both. Seems like it takes forever for football season. Guy said to me today he is not going to watch preseason cause its so pedestrian. Cant be a fan because if your a fan you watch regardless. lol

 

Watched the ovac all star game last week. Ohio vs west virginia. That usually kicks off the season until the real games start. As for the steelers this preseason is such a mix of new and old it will be a little more exciting then usual because of many guys vying for contracts and positions in the near future. Do the second third and fourth year guys finally get it. With many guys aging these games may tell us about the future of this team.

 

I don't expect anything to be different until it is - for real. We are what we are until we aren't and we won't find out until game 1 (unfortunately against the Cheaters at their place) and then I will know if things have improved. Records in preseason mean less than nothing when determining how a team will do in the regular season. People get paid a lot of money to ensure we have a prepared and successful team on the field and that is what I expect each regular season game. The only thing preseason does for me is make me worry about players getting hurt in meaningless games played to make more money.

 

There's an offseason for drinking?

 

I had one last Tuesday.