LATROBE, PA. — The second training camp practice of the Mike McCarthy era is in the books, and a pattern already has emerged. Both of them have ended with a period of 2-minute. And judging from what McCarthy said in before the practice, that was not happenstance.
"Well, a big part of the game of football is the understanding of time clocks and particularly when you talk about the 2-minute situation," said McCarthy. "I mean, if you look at a 17-game season, and really the numbers haven't moved a whole lot in my time in the league – on an average of at least 17 games, 8 games a year on average will come down to the last series. You look at playoff football, it's probably even closer to 90, 95 percent of the games that come down to the last series.
"Those are the things I look at when I'm putting together a training regimen. We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. We're going to get everybody's best shot. So maybe ours will be 10 or 11, instead of 8. So, that's how I evaluate it. That's how we're going to set up the practices, the reps, the quarterback school."
And so it was on a picture-perfect Thursday at Saint Vincent College, the crowd on hand for the Steelers' second of 4 acclimation days was treated to a session of 2-minute certain to provide the kind of video that both the offensive and defensive coaches will be using as a teaching tool over the next few days.
First up was Aaron Rodgers, and he moved the offense into decent scoring position with still enough time on the clock to get the ball into the end zone. On the very next snap it appeared Rodgers might do just that, but his quick throw down the middle was tipped away by CB Jamel Dean who covered a good bit of ground to make the play.
But before the defense could enjoy that successful play, Rodgers came back to shoot a laser into traffic in the end zone that found DK Metcalf for a touchdown.
The next repetition of the drill provided the defense with some payback, and it happened when Sebastian Castro intercepted a Will Howard pass to call an end to the day's on-field work.
OBSERVATIONS
• For the second straight day, the first player on the field – about 30 minutes before the scheduled 11: 20 a.m. start of practice – was RB Travis Homer, who spent his time working with the JUGS machine on his pass catching.
• Joey Porter Jr., who was placed on the physically unable to perform list Wednesday afternoon with tightness in his back, was wearing his practice jersey as he watched from the sideline.
• CB Assante Samuel Jr. has had a nice start to this training camp. In back-to-back practices, Samuel has covered a lot of ground to get his hand on the ball to break up a pass that at first appeared to be a sure completion for a big gain. During Thursday's session, the play was a double-move by TE Pat Freiermuth down the middle of the field.
• Balancing out the interception Howard threw in 2-minute period was a nicely timed and accurate throw on a deep-out route run by rookie WR Kaden Wetjen.
• The expectation is for the Steelers to move/rotate their 4 edge rushers to create some confusion for opposing offenses this season, and that was on display on Thursday. During one period of 11-on-11, the 2 guys on the field for the first snap were T.J. Watt on the left side and Nick Herbig on the right. Then Alex Highsmith replaced Watt on the left side. And then Highsmith moved over to the right side to replace Herbig, and Watt came back onto the field on the left.
Watt talked about this initiative during a Tuesday media session.
"Very dynamic, very elite group," said Watt about the Steelers OLBs. "I think you're going to see us moving all around. I know I say it every year, but I think you're truly going to see us moving all around this year. It's a better problem to have when you have guys who are really capable to affect the game in any area. I think that if we do things that we really set out to do in this training camp and get this thing like a well-oiled machine with us three, it'll be special.
"I'm just trying to be open-minded, just trying to do anything to affect (the opposing offense), whether it's how they are doing protection schemes, how they're running the ball. Wherever I can move around or just knock down inside, be able to allow Herbig to come outside, whatever it takes to win football games, whatever it takes to mess up the offensive scheme, I'm willing to do."
UP NEXT
Friday's practice is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. and conclude at 12:15 p.m. … Saturday's practice – the final one of the team's acclimation days – is scheduled to begin at 11:20 a.m. and conclude at 1:16 p.m. … Following a players' day off on Sunday, the Steelers will return for their first practice in pads on Monday, Aug. 3. That practice is scheduled to begin at 11:20 a.m.
McAFEE RETURNS TO SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE
Steelers Senior Director of Communications Burt Lauten posted the following on his X account: "The Steelers 1st padded practice is on Aug. 3 along w/ the @PatMcAfeeShow
LIVE (Noon ET) on campus. The show will take place on the baseball field and fans should enter near the right field pole after the gates open to gain access near the show. Tickets available on Steelers.com"
