Steelers drop preseason opener, 16-7
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LANDOVER, Md. -- It's a good thing the NFL owners did not get their way and reduce the preseason to just two games. Neither the Steelers nor Washington Redskins appear anywhere near ready to play for keeps in two weeks.
And the Steelers' newest bonus baby, cornerback Ike Taylor, might have to open with something to protect his broken left thumb. Taylor, who signed a four-year, $28 million contract last week, left during the first series on defense with the injury.
Team president Art Rooney II broke the news at halftime on KDKA-TV's broadcast of the game.
Defensive backs have been known to play with broken bones in their hands protected by a soft cast and Taylor has a month to heal before the Steelers open in Baltimore Sept. 11.
Other than that, the first preseason game was typical and not as sloppy as many suspected these early games would be, based on the the lack of spring practices and workout sessions during the NFL lockout. The first penalty in the game did not occur until late in the second quarter and the Steelers had just one for five yards all night. Neither team had a turnover.
By the time the first, second, third and fourth teams cleared, the Redskins won 16-7 on three second-half field goals by Graham Gano that snapped a 7-7 halftime tie.
Steelers halfback Rashard Mendenhall put the first preseason game into perspective.
"It's just a day to build and get some more work," he said after just five plays and one carry. "We'll come back, go back to camp, get some more work in and try and do it again the next week."
Two players who seem more than ready to start the season are backups. One is halfback Isaac Redman, who has grown bigger both physically and in the offense during his third training camp. Redman, who weighs a sculpted 245 pounds now, ran 22 yards for a touchdown and the Steelers only score in the first half. He finished the half with 42 yards on five carries and called it a day.
Rookie defensive end Cameron Heyward made his pro debut a good one, making his presence known often. On one play he pushed starting guard Kory Lichtensteiger back into Grossman, who threw incomplete because of it. On another, he held off a tackle's block and tackled the runner in the backfield.
Ben Roethlisberger (2 of 3, 22 yards) played only five plays in one series before bowing out along with Mendenhall (1 carry, 4 yards). The rest of the offense played a second series and another seven plays with quarterback Byron Leftwich without scoring.
First Published August 12, 2011 10:37 pm
