Jones off mark as Steelers shut out
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin talks with officials, including Tony Steratore of McMurray, front, during the first quarter Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pittsburgh quarterback Dustin Vaughan (13) is sacked by Philadelphia defensive end Aziz Shittu (61) and another defender during the second half Thursday.
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers hoped Landry Jones would take the No. 2 quarterback job and make it his own.
Instead, the fourth-year quarterback might be raising more questions than he is providing answers.
With veteran Bruce Gradkowski out for several weeks with a hamstring injury, Jones had an opportunity to put his stamp on the backup job to Ben Roethlisberger.
The only things Jones stamped, however, were the air-mailed interceptions he kept throwing to the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday night at Heinz Field.
Jones threw four interceptions and the Eagles outlasted the Steelers, 17-0, in the second preseason game for both teams.
With Roethlisberger, among others, sitting out, the Steelers took a long look at Jones for the second game in a row.
“You just make it a learning experience,” Jones said. “Things like that are going to happen. You’re going to play bad, not the way you want to. You learn from it. You move on.”
Jones threw for 111 yards, completing 12 of 20 passes and the Steelers (0-2) gained 161 total yards, converting 5 of 8 third downs.
After generating one touchdown last week in two quarters against Detroit, Jones did the same in this game, though his touchdown pass went to a player for the wrong team.
On Pittsburgh’s second possession, Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll cut off an underneath route by wide receiver Sammie Coates and making an easy interception that he returned 38 yards to give Philadelphia (2-0) a 7-0 lead.
“I don’t think so,” Jones said when asked if he had stared down Coates. “My rhythm and timing were the same as they usually are on a curl.”
Jones led the Steelers on a 15-play drive on their next possession but came away empty when his third-down fade pass into the end zone to receiver Cobi Hamilton was batted into the air by Leodis McKelvin and intercepted by Malcolm Jenkins.
Jones’ third interception came just before the two-minute warning in the first half, during another lengthy Pittsburgh drive.
Jones attempted a pass to the back corner of the end zone to Coates and cornerback Aaron Grymes maintained outside position and made a diving interception.
Jones’ final turnover came after the Steelers had forced a punt with just under one minute remaining in the first half. As he was throwing, Jones was by defensive end Steve Means, who maneuvered around tight end Jesse James. The pass floated down the middle of the field and was intercepted by Jaylen Watkins.
That turnover set up a 40-yard field goal by Cody Parkey that gave the Eagles a 10-0 halftime lead.
“I thought we did some good things as a defense,” Steelers safety Mike Mitchell said. “Obviously, we want to hold them to no points, but I thought the (first-team defense) did a solid job.”
The Eagles made it 17-0 by driving 87 yards on the opening possession of the second half and scoring on a 5-yard run by Kenjon Barner.
Center Maurkice Pouncey saw his first action for the Steelers since suffering a broken fibula in the preseason last year. Pouncey sat out last week’s preseason opener against Detroit but started this game. He played only the first quarter.
“It felt amazing to be back out there with the guys,” said Pouncey. “I was smiling the whole time. It was awesome.”
Attendance was 45,351. … Philadelphia quarterback Sam Bradford played the entire first half but generated just three points. Bradford completed 14 of 19 passes for 115 yards. … Cobi Hamilton and Eli Rogers had four receptions each to lead the Steelers. … Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis suffered a concussion in pregame warmups when he was hit by a punted ball. … Linebacker Arthur Moats had a first-half sack for the Steelers.