With the first preseason game last night between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings being the Hall of Fame game, we got our first chance to see what real football is like again.
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Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis waved a “Terrible Towel” during pregame introductions, with the decidedly pro-Pittsburgh crowd roaring its approval.
The Steelers went wire to wire with Landry Jones at quarterback, as Ben Roethlisberger was among the stars who sat out the game for Pittsburgh.
Dogged by injuries that have limited him to 54 catches in only 17 games the past two years, Rudolph was an integral part of the 10-play, 50-yard series to open the 14-3 victory over the Steelers in Sunday’s Hall of Fame Game.
Vikings’ win over Steelers was rather easy and though the low scoring in the Hall of Fame game disappointed numerous football fans, it was the best that they could have hoped for at this stage. But the rest of the preseason – or, as they used to be called, EXHIBITION – games will be played in publicly funded stadiums and the customers will be paying regular season prices.
Although he was the last to be picked among the three quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Bridgewater finished with the best statistical season of the signal callers in their rookie campaign.
A 62-yard punt was returned 24 yards by Marcus Sherels before Bridgewater completed 5 of 6 passes for 44 yards and two first downs. He was tripped up just short of the goal line.
Matt Asiata led the Vikings in rushing with six carries for 30 yards.
The Vikings have Peterson back after being out for 15 games last season, while Bridgewater will reportedly start after “dealing with a family issue”, according to ESPN.
“I feel like I made a couple plays”, Archer said.
Jones is on his third go around with the Steelers and continues to look poor in preseason play.
The only other injury of note, per Tomlin, was running back Cameron Stingily, whose right knee was termed by Tomlin as “a possible meniscus, but not definitive”. They played with conviction, and an attitude that a Steeler defense should have. Finally Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham hit a 36-yard field goal with 8:23 left in the second quarter for the first points of the (unofficial) season.
James’ first appearance in a Steelers’ uniform included a dropped touchdown pass, a fumble following a reception and a false start on a punt in Sunday night’s 14-3 loss to Minnesota.
2015 first round pick Trae Waynes had a night he would rather forget.
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With only one preseason game in the books, it’s too early to draw big conclusions.
