LATROBE, Pa. -- The Steelers' first drive of Friday's 27-17 win over Tampa Bay netted the result everyone wearing black and gold wanted, but no one was more pleased with the result than Matt Canada.
Kenny Pickett completed 6 of 7 passes on that drive, including his first five, and capped the 10-play, 83-yard trek downfield with a highlight-worthy 33-yard completion to George Pickens for the first touchdown of the Steelers' preseason.
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPSvideos) August 11, 2023
The offense clicked beautifully, and it lost just one yard on those 10 plays -- on a Pickett completion to Najee Harris. The Steelers gained 10 or more yards on four of those 10 plays, including an 11-yard completion to Diontae Johnson, a 10-yard run by Jaylen Warren, and a 13-yard completion to Johnson on three consecutive plays. The fourth instance was the touchdown to Pickens.
It was more than Pickett's sky-high completion rate, the pleasing number of positive plays, or the end result that pleased Canada about that first drive from the first-team offense. Canada saw his quarterback spread the ball around to a satisfactory level, and that could be the major key that helps to elevate this offense.
As it turns out, that was not a coincidence.
"It was by design," Canada said after Sunday morning's walkthrough in Latrobe. "We tried to get everybody -- We obviously had a plan of what we were going to do, how many opportunities we were going to be there, so we were trying to do that if we could but in the framework of not forcing it or doing something silly. So, we did a great job of managing the game and getting the ball to the right guy who was open at the time."
The first-team offense showcased its progress made over these two and a half weeks at Saint Vincent College in a manner of 10 plays. Now, four weeks away from the regular-season opener against the 49ers Sept. 10, there is more to build off of than what is shown in what Mike Tomlin has considered as a "Steelers versus Steelers" environment.
"I think it's good," Canada said. "Obviously we’re going against a really good defense every day here, and I think we’re happy with the steps we’ve taken. We’re not anywhere complete or where we want to get to, but it’s always good to see it in those settings and a game-like environment.”
Five different receivers were targeted by Pickett on that drive, and that is not anything new to those who have been watching this team go against itself in Latrobe. Pickett has established a rock-solid connection with Johnson as a primary receiver, his swagger shows through with every completion to Pickens, and Allen Robinson brings the savviness to the room as the glue guy, a quality that is highly valuable in the Steelers' receivers room. Pickett wasn't shy to check to either of his running backs on that opening drive, and he looked for Pat Freiermuth as a safety valve for a six-yard gain on the second play.
Canada wanted to see Pickett spread the ball around, and that is what happened.
That also provides an indicator of Pickett's development during in-game situations. Pickett has looked poised and confident all throughout training camp, and the major difference between first- and second-year quarterback has been the sharpness and quick-witted decision making associated with building that poise and confidence.
Canada might have said the most important thing about that opening drive when he was asked about Pickett's performance specifically:
“I thought Kenny played well," Canada said. "I thought there was a couple of things we’re obviously going to critique in there, but for a small sample size we had with the whole group and with Kenny, we achieved what we kind of wanted to do.”
The Steelers' offense achieved what it wanted to do.
Regardless if it is preseason or regular season, any point of reference to execution should not be taken lightly, especially considering how this offense finished near the bottom of the league in amassing yards and scoring points last year. If the willingness to spread the ball around to multiple weapons comes with creating more balance and, more importantly, scoring more touchdowns and finding situational success with the ball, then that just might be the Steelers' ticket to improvement on that side of the ball in 2023.
"It's a great situation," Canada said. "Everybody can't have the best game of their career every game. It just doesn't happen like that. The defense will take away certain things ... and Kenny's job will be to manage that and understand that."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• The defense took Sunday's seven shots period, 4-3. The first-team offense's lone score came on an Anthony McFarland touchdown run up the middle, as he subbed in for Harris. Pickett couldn't complete a pair of passes to Johnson -- the first was batted down by Minkah Fitzpatrick -- and he missed Allen Robinson near the endline. Mitch Trubisky fired touchdowns to Gunner Olszewski and Dez Fitzpatrick, and Luq Barcoo deflected away another Trubisky pass intended for Fitzpatrick.
• Tomlin noted that Nate Herbig is being evaluated for a shoulder injury sustained in Sunday's practice. Keeanu Benton is considered day-to-day after sustaining an ankle injury in Friday's game at Tampa Bay. Cam Heyward missed Sunday's practice with an illness.
• Duke Dawson and Nick Kwiatkowski missed Sunday's practice after sustaining injuries Friday. Tre Norwood remained out with a calf injury, but Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) returned to practice.
• I overheard Tomlin as he was standing next to the running backs as they ran through tackling dummies: “Ball security’s never compromised. We’re teaching and learning.”
• This might be something, or it might not: Not only did McFarland work in with Pickett and the first-team in seven shots, but I watched Warren do some position work with Danny Smith and the special teams unit. He worked on fumble-forcing drills along the likes of Cody White, Hakeem Butler, and Connor Heyward.
• But, it might not be anything, as Warren took reps with the first-team offense in the ensuing team drill. I still found that last point interesting enough to note.
• Rookie Spencer Anderson was pulled after a false start in a team period. Tomlin was heard calling it “junior varsity.”
• Johnson made an unbelievable adjustment to haul in a back-shoulder ball along the sideline from Pickett in a team period. Patrick Peterson was draped over him in coverage. For as unbelievable as Pickens has been in this camp, Johnson and Pickett have developed some really solid chemistry.
• James Pierre high-pointed a corner route intended for Calvin Austin and made the interception in that same team period. He almost had another pick two plays later as a bad drop by Olszewski popped into the air, but Pierre couldn't haul it in before it hit the ground.
• Robinson made a diving grab for a touchdown to secure a win for the offense in a two-minute drill to close practice. Pickett completed 4 of 5 passes in that situation.
