Steelers Mid-Preseason Report Card

The Steeler’s drafted three rookies on the offensive side of the ball, and all three have made a significant impact this preseason, one way or the other.

The Prince of Pittsburgh (I expect this nickname to catch on) has looked pretty good all camp. Besides the minor injury that held him out against the Giants, Conner has shown flashes in camp and backed up those flashes in the game against the Falcons.

Conner carried the ball 20 times for 98 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry, which is pretty good all things considered. He did have some blatant drops, but he was a sure-handed pass-catcher in college, and those can most-likely be chalked up to rookie jitters.

Conner’s potential is promising, and his performance against the Falcons is a much-needed sign of encouragement for a Steelers backfield that could use some encouragement and stability with the recent Le’Veon Bell Drama.

I wrote in detail last week about Smith-Schuster and the training camp buzz surround the rookie. Since then, Smith-Schuster has been sidelined with injuries.

The injuries don’t outweigh all the good Smith-Schuster has done, however. The former USC Trojan has been praised for his blocking prowess. Smith-Schuster seems to have limitless potential, and he fills the role of a big slot receiver the Steelers haven’t had in quite some time.

Despite the injuries, Smith-Schuster looks like he will see significant playing time this year and brings a sense of stability to a Steelers wide receiver group riddled with suspensions (Bryant) and injuries (Coates) across the depth chart.

Ben Roethlisberger continues to torture Steeler fans with his talk of possible retirement. So it’s of no surprise the Steelers fourth round draft pick Joshua Dobbs has been under the microscope.

Dobbs has looked very inconsistent, to say the least. He will make good, even great plays and then a few snaps later, a play that makes you question how he was drafted. This is similar to how he looked in college. The interceptions were there but so was the big-time playmaking ability.

Dobbs went 8/15 with 100 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his first start against the New York Giants. His interceptions came early, and we could chalk it up to nerves. Dobbs did settle down and hit Cobi Hamilton for two significant strikes later on.

In the Falcons game, Dobbs went 10/19 for 70 yards and 1 INT.  His accuracy was inconsistent, but he did hit Martavis Bryant for a bomb early on in the game.

Dobbs was not a superstar quarterback at Tennessee. He is brilliant, athletic, and has the ability that the Pittsburgh staff is looking to mold. But it may take some time. And it is also a genuine possibility that Dobbs isn’t Roethlisberger’s replacement.

The jury is still out on the former Volunteer, and that’s okay.