The Steelers first-team defense was not “doing it the way (they) were supposed to,” in their joint practice with Tampa Bay yesterday at Acrisure Stadium. That’s according to linebacker Patrick Queen, and there were plenty of other starters who were dissatisfied with their effort. Specific reporting on the practice was not permitted, but the players afterward said they were especially upset with a late scoring drive led by the Buccaneers Baker Mayfield, who hit Mike Evans with a last-second touchdown pass in a two-minute scenario.
Coach Mike Tomlin said before the practice that it would be helpful for the Steelers as a team.
Tomlin says the Steelers won’t be playing a lot of Steelers regulars in tomorrow’s preseason game against the Bucs.
Tomlin says the Steelers are excited about the talent they’ve assembled in training camp, and that will make for some difficult decisions when cutdown day arrives.
There was one scuffle at the practice yesterday, according to Alan Saunders of Steelers Now, who reported that punter Cam Sanders got upset when a Tampa Bay special teamer came too close to his plant leg on a punt. Sanders suffered a season-ending torn ACL in that leg in the first game of the season last year. Connor Heyward came to his teammate’s defense and tempers briefly flared.
