10 Observations: Some Good in a Bad Night for Steelers 'Starters'

A key opportunity for many quickly turned into a nightmare for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It wasn't all bad, though.

It was a 'junior varsity' performance, as Mike Tomlin would call it. The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Carolina Panthers in blowout fashion, losing their first preseason game of the year, 34-9.

A game handled mostly by backups, this preseason finale was an opportunity for many players to earn their place on the Steelers' 53-man roster. Dwayne Haskins handled the starting quarterback role, while Benny Snell Jr. and Tre Norwood had their first chance to play crucial roles on both sides of the ball.

Not many dressed in black and gold were impressive, but there are positives to be found even in losses.

"All in all, it was a junior varsity performance," Tomlin said. "We accept that. We understand what that means. But we also understand where we are in this journey collectively. I'm appreciative of their efforts not only tonight, but throughout this process. Now we begin the decision-making time."

While the Steelers report back to Pittsburgh and begin finalizing their team, we finalize our 10 Observations 'Preseason Edition.'

And we'll start with the quarterback.

Haskins Was Nothing Special

Whether it was the mixed bag of starters and backups at the offensive line, Benny Snell Jr. finding his footing in the backfield or the pressure of fighting for a second chance, Haskins did not impress in his preseason start.

He played two quarters, completing nine of 16 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown to an interception. He finished the night with a 71.9 quarterback rating.

The good parts of Haskins's night were his awareness in the pocket. Plenty of times, he worked his way out of traffic and tried to extend plays.

The bad parts were throwing a pass two feet behind Derek Watt that bounced off his hands and into a defender's and fumbling a snap after finding Chase Claypool for an 18-yard completion.

Jamir Jones Has to be a Roster Lock

We promised some good, so lets get started.

Jamir Jones has found the quarterback in all four of the Steelers' preseason games. The second-year undrafted free agent spent last season sitting at home and working odd-end jobs. This year, he should be on the Pittsburgh sideline.

Cassius Marsh hasn't fallen out of the roster, but Quincy Roche might have. At this point, Marsh provides some experience and has played well, and Jones offers young potential.

Jones is a better special teamer than Roche as well. There's no reason not to put him on the active roster.

Chris Wormley Has Provided Valuable DE Depth

Chris Wormley seemed a bit lost when he arrived in Pittsburgh last season. The defensive end was once thought of as a potential starter at nose tackle, but seemingly fell into a backup role behind Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward.

This preseason, he seems comfortable. After a year in the Steelers' system, he has a pretty good idea of what's happening and where to be - and he's consistent because of it.

Wormley has put pressure on quarterbacks and stuffed run lanes in all four games. As a replacement to Tuitt, he's played well, and should be a suitable starter if needed in the regular season.

Justin Layne is a Liability in Coverage

Credit where credit is due, D.J. Moore is a top-tier wide receiver in the NFL. However, most wide receivers you'll face in the regular season will be relatively close to the talent level as the Panthers' star.

Justin Layne couldn't keep him. He opened the game by allowing a quick 10-yard pass and never seemed to regain his ground.

Layne has made noise this summer. He's had his plays where you thought, maybe he could make a genuine impact this season - fill a depth role.

Then, you've had moments like Week 3 where you didn't know how much you can trust him on the field.

Matthew Sexton Muffs His Roster Spot

Matthew Sexton tried to play hero-ball on a punt with nine minutes left in the first half, and it probably cost him his chances at a roster spot.

If you’re Mathew Sexton, aka Cheddar Bob, you simply can’t shoot yourself in the foot like that trying to do too much with a punt return.

— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) August 28, 2021

Sexton let a punt bounce before realizing he had a chance at a return. The problem was there were two defenders in front of him who immediately wrapped him up and forced the ball to bounce out of his hands.

Want to know the worst part about this play? Buddy Johnson ran into the punter. None of it would've mattered anyway.

The roster hopeful was making a push to overtake the final receiver spot. Prior to the Panthers game, he might have had a better summer than Ray-Ray McCloud.

That likely doesn't matter after the fumbled punt. A prime example of how hard it is to make an NFL roster.

Robert Spillane's Role is Defined... And Limited

This summer was Robert Spillane's opportunity to define his career in Pittsburgh. He did just that, but it's hard to imagine he saw the room being so small.

Spillane's ceiling is low. He's a very capable run stuffer. Taking on Derrick Henry was a moment fans will never forget, but you need to do more than one goal-line stand to solidify a spot in the NFL.

He's done enough in the run game to play regular season reps at inside linebacker. Those reps will be limited, though, as he's a relatively easy target for opposing quarterbacks to take advantage of.

Tre Norwood's Audition at Nickelback

Tre Norwood did not answer the call for his first and possibly only audition at nickelback. The rookie has played safety throughout training camp, but with the injuries to Arthur Maulet and Antoine Brooks Jr., the Steelers had limited options.

Norwood plays well in coverage when dropped deep as the free safety. From the line of scrimmage, he struggled at times, most notably on a 24-yard pass to Terrace Marshall that set up a Panthers touchdown.

Nickelback might come with time for Norwood, but right now, he's best suited at safety.

Steelers Seemed Focused on One Punter

The Steelers played both their punters, but only seemed interested in Pressley Harvin III.

Harvin was the placeholder throughout the game, which was really all you needed to see. The Steelers aren't too focused on who punts better - that answer is Harvin, and has been Harvin - what they're concerned about is whether or not the rookie can hold a kick.

Boswell missed an extra point, so maybe it's not the best outcome, but he also made a field goal. Which is probably enough for Harvin to make the team.

Josh Dobbs Goes Down

Josh Dobbs might have lost his chance to make this roster after playing maybe three series in Carolina. The backup quarterback would've had a decent opportunity to out-shine Haskins, but a turf toe injury ended his night - and maybe his roster hopes.

Tomlin wasn't impressed with Haskins' performance, but it's hard to deny someone who's competing against a player who's injured. Dobbs is going to need time to get back to 100%. Maybe the Steelers can waive/injure him and keep him around, but that might be wishful thinking.

Kalen Ballage Playing in the Fourth

Believe it or not, I thought Kalen Ballage was a lock for the Steelers' active roster coming into the final preseason game. Even with the injury he dealt with, it just felt like he's done enough to assure himself a place on the team.

When he entered the game in the fourth quarter, it felt like maybe they didn't see enough to this point. Honestly, the question that arose wasn't what Ballage hasn't done, but who did enough to bump him?

Snell still feels like someone the Steelers want around. Maybe Samuels is too. 

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.

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