Knee Jerk Reactions to the Steelers 24-16 win over the Eagles in Week 1 of the preseason

It was second-half dominance by the Black & Gold.

Knee-jerk Reactions are immediate responses to a situation without taking the time to analyze the situation. That’s something as sports fans that we typically do. Especially if you are a full blood Yinzer, or even just a part Yinzer. As is the custom, I compile my knee-jerk thoughts and publish them immediately after each Steelers game (my son Kyle might have a few things to say as well). It’s my version of running my mouth first and apologizing later. So with that being said, I’m going to employ that philosophy here during Week 1 of the NFL Preseason. Yes this is only a preseason game, but it’s still football. Please bear with me as there will be plenty of plays that I have no idea who the guys are making the play.

1st Quarter

• Now we’re talking, Chris Boswell is kicking off tonight.
• After giving up a couple of decent plays the Steelers have the Eagles in third and seven. Could we get a stop here?
• Boy sure looks weird seeing the number eight on defense.
• Eagles are forced into a 47-yard field goal attempt. The bend but don’t break defense of the Steelers holds them to three.
• Hopefully the Steelers can duplicate last week where they gave up three on the opening drive and then shut it down for the rest of the game.
• Let’s run the ball!
• Play action on the second play and a completion. I like it!
• Najee Harris gets hit in the backfield, but still manages to gain 6 yards.
• The nice run by Najee gets wiped out on a hold by Pat Freiermuth.
• Mason Rudolph looked a little jittery in the pocket on that third down.
• Jordan Berry comes on to punt. Nice play by James Pierre to down the ball at the two yard line.
• Alex Highsmith— that guy has a motor. Came from the other side of the field to finally get pressure on Hurts near the sideline.
• Defense holds up. Let’s get that offense rolling now.
• A second good run by Harris brought back by a holding penalty. This time on Trai Turner.
• Diontae Johnson. Big play!
• The drive stalls and Berry pins another punt inside the 10-yard line. Is Jeff Hartman getting nervous for a punter controversy at this point?
• It’ll all get good now. The unibrow is in there to throw for the Eagles.
• So much for holding the eagles to three. Big play on a quick wide receiver bubble screen.
• End of the first quarter, Eagles 10, Steelers 0.

2nd Quarter

• Chuck Okorafor picks up a false start penalty on third and two. The offensive line is having some struggles to start this game.
• Steelers drive stalls and Jordan Berry punts it back to the Eagles.
• You tell him Charlie Batch, the refs are not calling this game both ways.
• Oh, the refs have finally showed up to throw flags at the Eagles now.
• Eagles hit a 48-yard field goal. Eagles 13 Steelers 0. Could we please get the offense to show up now?
• Dwayne Haskins is in at quarterback. I want to see him throw the ball down the field.
• And his first pass is a check down for two yards.
• That was an awful series for the offense.
• The Eagles’ running back stumbles and falls and we can’t get a defender close enough to him to touch him down he gets up and gains 10 yards.
• Chris Wormley and Jamir Jones combined for the sack of Joe Flacco to send the Eagles punt team back out. Nice series by the D.
• Pat Freiermuth gets his first catch for six yards.
• Jaylen Samuels running the football well? Up the middle?
• Oh now I know why. He was running behind Kevin Dotson.
• Haskins with a nice pass to Cody White. Nice job throwing in between the defenders.
• Nice run by Anthony McFarland from the one yard line to punch it in and get the Steelers on the board. Nice to see the Steelers run it in on short yardage.
• Boswell with the PAT. Eagles 13, Steelers 7.
• Eagles come out on this drive picking on three different players: UG3, Justin Layne, and Robert Spillane. Move down the field. Luckily those three players ended up making plays to halt the drive.
• Elliot hits a 50 yard field goal for the Eagles score now Eagles 16, Steelers 7.
• Steelers take a knee to end the half.

3rd Quarter

• Steelers get the ball start the second half.
• Nice back-to-back plays on the pass to Trey Edmonds and they run by Ant Mac.
• Need to pick up this third and three. They pick it up and add on a flag to the Eagles for a hit to the head.
• Jaylen Samuels with a typical Jaylen Samuel’s run for no yards.
• Tired of all the underneath throws. I would like to see Haskins push the ball down the field.
• On a free play, Haskins does push the ball down the field and it results in a touchdown for the Steelers. Eagles 16, Steelers 14.
• Justin Layne with an INT. The Steelers are back in business.
• I hope that Haskins pass was tipped at the line, because if it wasn’t it was ugly.
• I didn’t like that play as Haskins checked it down to Samuels, but Samuel’s broke a tackle and managed to pick up a third down and 12.
• On third and six Haskins had all day to throw. Nice job by the line to help get that completion for a first.
• That was Jaylen Samuels drive. But the drive was really taken over by the offensive line who got great push. Samuels goes in for the score. Eagles 16, Steelers 21.
• The Steelers D holds the Eagles to another three and out. Nice to see the Steelers starting to really dominate this game.
• The nice run by Jaylen Samuels, but the late Myron Cope could even run through the holes the line is creating right now.
• It doesn’t seem to matter who the Steelers hand the ball to, the offensive line is creating huge holes.
• End of three, Eagles 16, Steelers 21.

4th Quarter

• Haskins throws the ball deep and completes to Rico Bussey.
• Haskins has all day to throw again on third down. Completes to Kevin Rader for a first down.
• I keep putting things into this article and a second later Charlie Batch mentions them on TV. For the record I am not plagiarizing him, I’m getting my words down first.
• Sloman hits a short field goal. Eagles 16, Steelers 24.
• Isaiahh Loudermilk and Quincy Roche have a meeting of the minds at the quarterback.
• McCoy needs to learn that you never run backwards on a punt return. Most of the time when that happens and you give up yardage on a return, you continue to give up yardage on a return.
• Dobbs in the game at quarterback. On third down he tries to force a ball into coverage and gets picked off.
• Loudermilk with the BIG SWAT.
• Lafayette Pitts with an interception.
• The other number 30, Pete Guerriero, looking good at RB.
• Anthony Johnson nice catch going to the ground on third down. I see a lot of bottom of the roster guys working hard to make plays.
• Nice run on a quick pitch. Steelers running nicely all kinds of ways.
• The Steelers get it down to first and goal but decide not to go ahead and punch it in and take a knee. Eagles 16, Steelers 24.

There you have it, my knee jerks. Sure it was preseason and sure it didn’t see a lot of starters, but it was Steelers football so I will sit on this for a day or two and then look forward to next weeks pre-season game. CAN’T WAIT!!!