Several Steelers starters to make preseason debuts
PITTSBURGH – Former Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor once famously said that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity only comes around so many times.
For players still hoping to catch the eye of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and his staff, time is running out in this preseason.
There just might be fewer opportunities available today when the Steelers host the Indianapolis Colts in their third preseason game.
As he has in the past, Tomlin plans on using this game as more of a dress rehearsal than a typical preseason game.
Three starters who have been healthy scratches in the first two preseason games – quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and linebacker James Harrison – will make their preseason debuts.
“How long guys play will really be determined by how they perform and how the game unfolds,” Tomlin said. “We’ll play that by ear, but we’re committed to playing our first wave, to get a sense of their overall readiness, and then we’ll work from there.”
That first wave also will include some players who have been missing in action the first two weeks of the preseason. Center Maurkice Pouncey, strong safety Sean Davis and inside linebacker Ryan Shazier are expected to make their debuts.
The only starters expected to be out are free safety Mike Mitchell, who has not practiced in nearly a month after suffering an ankle injury, and running back Le’Veon Bell, who has not reported or signed his contract.
Because of the importance of this game – starters will play little, if at all, next week at Carolina in the preseason finale – Tomlin prepares for this week like it’s a regular-season game, right down to game planning.
“We’ve got to get used to the comforts of home, and logistically what that encompasses working in this location,” Tomlin said.
The missing starters won’t be the only ones making their preseason debuts. Backup quarterback Landry Jones is expected to see his first preseason action. Jones missed the first two games with an abdominal injury, giving rookies Josh Dobbs and Bart Houston the opportunity to take all of the snaps.
With Roethlisberger expected to play only a series or two, Jones should play at least two quarters.
“I feel I can go full speed,” Jones said. “The thing with any injury is going out there and cutting it loose.”
Despite all of the missing pieces, the Steelers are off to a 2-0 start in the preseason, something that is a testament to the depth on the roster. Pittsburgh has not gone 4-0 in the preseason since 2010, which was the last time it appeared in the Super Bowl.
That doesn’t mean starting jobs aren’t still up for grabs. Tomlin began rotating Ross Cockrell and Coty Sensabaugh at right cornerback, and Will Gay and Mike Hilton at slot cornerback, during practice this week. The plan is to do so again against the Colts.
“I love competition,” Cockrell said. “It gives me a chip on my shoulder, knowing that I have to prove myself, knowing that I always have to prove myself. There’s nothing given to me. That’s how I like it.
“It’s been like that since I got here. … It happened last year, with Artie being a first-round pick. This year has been no different.”
Tomlin said he was pleased with how rookie running back James Conner ran last week against Atlanta, gaining 98 yards on 20 carries, but called Conner’s efforts on special teams “JV.” … The Steelers and Colts will meet in Indianapolis Nov. 12. The are the only preseason opponents who are on the Steelers’ regular-season schedule. … The Steelers have 11 sacks in two preseason games. … Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck is not expected to play. He is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.