Game overview:
The Steelers played this game with their 1st-team offense from the jump, for one series, and jump they did -- a nice opening drive for a score…and then most of the 1st-team scattered and it was a sloppy-ish game from there. The Bucs ran with Baker for a couple series then Trask, but they did so with their mostly 2nd-team options around them.
I have so many different notes from this game that my scouting sheet looks like a hieroglyphic’s explosion on paper. I also have a key subscriber extra note from this game…maybe two…maybe three. That subscriber extra will be published sometime after the main game analysis posts.
If my schedule goes right, all this preseason we should normally have two-a-day written reports, sometimes three and occasionally one, but I am also going to try out my video presentation form of a game analysis on some of the lesser noted games…just a way to save some toll on my hands from all these game report/novellas. I get excited about the preseason -- I love to watch all these lesser-opportunity players. I never know what I’ll discover, on tape, from one play to the next. I’m a kid in a proverbial candy store right now. Hope you enjoy it all: https://youtu.be/L-l6tHeseDY
I have so many notes from this game, I don’t know where to begin…but let’s just dive right in and see if we can land the plane.
Scouting Notes from the game:
-- Let’s begin with a very intriguing thing at running back with the Steelers…something that I want to be a thing, but probably isn’t a thing, but it might be…and the clues were on display in the Steelers’ opening drive.
Let me set the scene…
The Steelers decided to run with their 1st-team offense. So, we got Pickett-Najee-Pickens/Diontae/ARob., Freiermuth, et. al. Pittsburgh embarked on a 10-play TD drive covering 83-yards.
On those 10 plays, the starting WR group were in for most all of the snaps…and the starting TE…and Pickett for all plays, but at running back…here was who was in the game, play-by-play in order:
1) Najee
2) Najee
3) Najee (quick flair pass to Najee for his typical output…-1 yards)
4) Warren (Warren got the carry for a yard)
5) Warren (3rd-down)
6) Warren (10-yard run for Warren…better than any run Najee will have most of the season)
7) Najee
8) Warren (2-yard run for Warren)
9) Warren (target to Warren, incomplete)
10) Warren (3rd-down)
Let me give you the scoreboard of the first drive of 2023, with the Steelers showcasing their 1st-team offense:
Snaps: Warren 6, Najee 4
Carries: Warren 3, Najee 0
Targets: Warren 1, Najee 1
In on 1st-down: Najee 3, Warren 2
In on 3rd-down: Warren 2, Najee 0
If this was a showcase for the 1st-team offense…what conclusion could anyone draw besides -- the Steelers are going to a Najee/Warren split? If they weren’t…they would have started Najee all downs except on 3rd-down, maybe…and then let Warren go in with the 2nd-team after Najee dominated snaps with the 1st-team.
The Steelers were showing their cards, but I don’t know that anyone in the mainstream is gonna pick up on it right away. They are still so brainwashed to Najee because he was a 1st-round pick, that they don’t know the problem with Najee…a problem that Tomlin finally started realizing 2nd-half last season but just as he did, Warren got hurt (ankle sprain) and the issue was set aside the rest of the season.
The Bucs showed their cards with their backfield too: Rachaad White in street clothes…while the other gaggle of backups fought for a roster spot. The Steelers showed us their cards as well…but no one wants to believe it. THEY don’t believe in what we were shown for either backfield…and thus the FF masses are once again brainwashed by people who don’t study these things seriously and just assume whatever draft round you were picked equals how good you are…or it helps if you played in college for Alabama or Georgia, or at least the eastern half of the U.S.
It’s 2023, and this is still how NFL analysis and scouting works. Thank God, they will NEVER get it…thank God for me personally, so I can make a profit in FF and handicapping, hopefully, off their constant miscues and shortcomings.
I keep banging this theme of THEM being wrong because while my OG FFMers know the drill, the rookie FFMers might still needing deprogramming from the mainstream analysis that PSYOP’d them for years/decades from when we kids on up the ladder -- we all have to sear it into our brains the realization that THEY really don’t know what they’re talking about…even though it’s their job or if they used to play/coach in the league. I’m not patting myself on the back or getting my jollies harping on their errors -- I want/need you to know that you MUST know that THEY don’t know what THEY’re doing; they’re not ‘holy’ in their analysis…not even close. So don’t let THEIR words, in whatever format, sway you on football matters…because we see/hear THEM a lot (that’s the inadvertent brainwashing/hive mind) and that constant drumbeat of them all agreeing with each other has a sway, subconsciously.
I’ve said it since day one…Najee is not as good as THEY were saying all along, not even close. And it’s been obvious for two seasons…but not to THEM.
Najee definitely believes he’s a god…wait until he pitches a fit about this split and the money that he is not offered by the team next year. The fight bell has been rung.
-- Speaking of Pittsburgh RBs…Anthony McFarland (3-18-1, 1-5-0/1) looked the best I’ve ever seen him look in the NFL -- he looks like he’s back to his Maryland days. He should be the #3 RB this season.
-- Let’s talk about the Bucs backfield…
As I mentioned, Rachaad White (DNP) was in street clothes because HE IS THE MAN and everyone knows it…except for everyone in the mainstream football media who are still trying to find the guy who will take him out, because Rachaad stinks (in their eyes) and someone on the roster or a free agent vet is coming in to save Tampa Bay. I feel like I’ve said all I can say about Rachaad the past two weeks/two months/two years.
This game, for the Bucs, was about a battle for the #2 RB spot…
Ke’Shawn Vaughn (7-4-0) got ‘the start’ and was his usual self…unimpressive. He’s likely about to hit the bricks from Tampa.
Chase Edmonds (6-18-0, 1-4-0/1) was in second after Vaughn…and Edmonds was the best of the backups. He’s good…and experienced, and desired by this front office. He will be the #2 back Week 1, and probably all season.
Edmonds-Vaughn worked with Baker and Trask, and deeper into the game we got a first look at rookie UDFA Sean Tucker (6-10-0, 1-3-0/1). Tucker was fine…nothing super-special this day. He had a nice 10+ yard TD run that got called back…he broke a tackle and darted into the end zone. He didn’t look overly fast or overly anything…just competent/solid. A solid enough debut. He’ll look better as we go, I’m sure.
-- Kenny Pickett (6-7 for 70 yards, 1 TD/0 INT) led the first drive and looked quite comfortable…throwing strikes of all kinds and all depths. The Steelers offense ran 10 plays on the opening TD drive and seven of them were passes -- a nice confidence boost for Pickett.
Pickett was working Diontae Johnson (3-32-0/3) primarily and capped things off with his only target to George Pickens (1-33-1/1), which Pickens hauled in off a tight window and then twisted and turned his way for 10+ yards after the catch and a TD.
Pickett will feel no pressure from the depth chart…Trubisky-Rudolph and rookie Tanner Morgan (5-8 for 36 yards, 0 TD/1 INT) all looked awful. Morgan fumbled twice and had a pick in his brief playing time.
-- Speaking of Steelers’ WRs…
After the 1st-team group worked and the 2nd-team came in with Mitch Trubisky…it was 2nd-year WR Calvin Austin (2-23-0, 2-73-1/4) time. Austin had a great 2023 debut here…after missing 2022 with an injury.
Austin ran a couple nice jet sweeps and later totally burned his man for an easy deep ball TD. Austin as a #4 WR/gadget option with upside to be a starter -- it’s a great asset for the Steelers, but hard to count on Austin for FF usage right away…but just note that Austin is back, he is in the Steelers plans (I was wondering if he even was), and we finally got to see him work and it was good!
-- Onto the Tampa Bay QB competition…
I think the case got closed here, real quick, if there was any doubt…Baker Mayfield (8-9 for 63 yards, 1 TD/0 INT) will start Week 1. Baker is not great, but he is a good enough game manager type now and has experience and confidence. He played a very solid, controlled game here.
After a couple of Baker series, Kyle Trask came in with the same surrounding group as Baker, for the most part…and it was not as smooth as Baker’s time. Trask definitely looks better than he has the prior two years, but he gets easily flustered and throws into coverage too much still. Trask has become a capable-ish backup QB is all…he’s not the solution for the Bucs long-term.
-- Baker/Trask worked with two WRs who I wanted to see/scout in this game…
Rookie Trey Palmer (4-33-1/4) had a nice back-of-the-end-zone, leaping TD catch and played solid football.
2nd-year WR Deven Thompkins (1-8-0, 2-9-0/2) is the guy I hear the most buzz about from training camp…and he looked it here too. He has speed and agility…he gets open and is showing an ability to make tough catches. I’m impressed with what I see. Russell Gage better watch out…it may not be long before Thompkins is the starting slot.
-- Darnell Washington (1-9-0/1) ran like the 3rd-string. He looked long/tall, leaner than I remembered, and kinda slow. There’s so many body parts and size and length it just seems like he has a tough time getting it all going in motion quickly. He seems like no threat at all to Pat Freiermuth out of the gates.
-- Let’s end with some IDP…
Steelers free agent signing, a brilliant one, Cole Holcomb (2 tackles) looked great starting in this game. He’s back to full speed after a minor injury hindered him most of 2022 season.
The Bucs have so many young, athletic defenders it’s hard to keep track of them all…they’re all energetic, athletic, and discombobulated at this stage.
Rookie edge Yaya Diaby (1 tackle) stood out for TB…just his look/size/movement skills.
CB Zyon McCollum (2 tackles, 1 pick) had moments of good and a couple of not as good (in coverage). He’s still developing…he’ll be a future starting corner for TB, I think.
